Pokémon Red, Green and Blue: Road of a Champion
by Kenrai
Summary: My take on Red/Green/Blue. Contains elements from the games, manga and the anime. Rated 'M' for strong language. A boy from rural Pallet Town opts to go on a life changing and interesting discovery about not only himself but the land he lives in; he learns The Truth.
1. Strange Beginnings

**Pokémon Red and Blue: Road of a Champion**

**Chapter 1: Strange Beginnings**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its generic merchandise. Oh ho ho. **

_A/N: Yeah it's me once again with another fic I'll probably delete soon but hey if it manages to take off then YES! In any case just to reinforce: This is my own take on the well known Pokémon games Red and Blue/Fire Red and Leaf green so if you haven't figured THAT out by now _(and are also not interested)_ then I think it's best you get the pointer on that back button up the top left. _

_Also a little added note. Those of you who ARE interested _(surprise me)_ the main character is based on myself from playing the game. Mm. Shoot me. Har. Well in any case if you've gotten this far then I hope you enjoy the rest. Thanking you!_

* * *

_Staring ahead at the strange floating monster that levitated around the Pallet woods playfully, a young Steven widened his eyes at the rare discovery. _

_Of course not many people knew this discovery even existed. _

"_What is that thing Ross?" Steven asked with a blink as his expression of surprise changed to one of immediate fear. His small companion drooped his eyes in exasperation. _

_The two were out in the woods to find out what had been causing the bumps in the night, against the orders of their parents. _

_Kids will be kids. _

"_It's a Pokémon stupid." Ross replied in a cheeky fashion as he folded his arms and scowled at his young friend before he looked 'round at the pink coloured monster, his scowl changing to a grin. A grin which he displayed most often. "I'm gonna catch it," the spiky brown haired male continued to grin. After witnessing the confident young boy's grin a lot of the time, Steven decided that every time Ross grinned a little bit of his intelligence deteriorated as he did so. _

"_Catch it?" Steven repeated with a blink as he joined both his hands together. _

"_Yeah," Ross shot back, giving his usual grin and he lost another few points of his IQ. _

"_How?" the curious boy questioned with a confused blink. Ross seemed to roll his eyes as he scowled. _

"_Just watch." he replied, sighing as he threw a red and white sphere at the said Pokémon however he was impolitely replied by a swift knock back. Ross growled lightly in annoyance as he caught his sailing Poké ball before it flew any further. Steven took this time to take in the Pokémon's appearance. _

_It was a decidedly small sized pink coloured cat-like Pokémon with a long tail. However the Pokémon's appearance betrayed its true power._

_And Steven knew that. Despite his inexperience with the creatures. _

"_Don't you need another Pokémon to take one on?" Steven asked with a weak raise of his hand, frowning as he did so. _

"_Of course you do! Don't think I don't know that!" Ross exclaimed, scowling as he 'rounded on the boy suddenly. Steven winced as he backed up a step away from his friend. "Now watch and learn little man." the apparent expert professed with a grin. His stupid grin still plastered on his face, the young boy threw another sphere into the air, much like the last one he did however this time he threw it straight into the air. Steven blinked as he watched the shape open up letting out a white coloured energy. The energy flew back down to ground level before it started to form into a creature. _

_A small bird cooed lightly as it stood on its feet, as if to take in its enemy's appearance itself. _

"_You have a Pokémon?" Steven asked with widened eyes. _

"_Yeah," Ross replied simply, with his usual annoying grin. _

"_But didn't Professor Oak say we're too young to-" Steven began with a concerned expression on his face. Ross sighed and rolled his eyes. _

"_What Granddaddy doesn't know won't hurt him." Ross shot back with a frown this time, focusing his attention on his battle. "Man you're such a goody too shoes Steve." the young boy added with a small scowl on his face. Steven lowered his head. "All right here we go. Pidgey go for a tackle!" Ross ordered his Pokémon with a point of his index finger, eliciting a coo from his said partner before it took into the air and flew at its enemy as fast as it could. The cat-like Pokémon merely watched the Pidgey with a few giggles, as if it wasn't even an enemy at all. Ross's eyes narrowed and Steven's eyes widened as the Pidgey finally made contact with the rare Pokémon however something happened that neither boys could either predict or even imagine. _

_The Pidgey was stopped in mid flight. _

"_What was that?" Steven asked with a confused blink as the rare Pokémon let out a fit of giggles. _

"_I don't know!" Ross exclaimed back in frantic panic before composing himself again. But only slightly. "Pidgey! Try a gust!" the nine year old ordered, gritting his teeth as he stood fast, determined to catch the giggling Pokémon. The Pidgey let out another coo as it swept up the ground beneath it in an attempt to attack the smiling pink Pokémon, however it was foiled once again. The pink cat-like monster merely narrowed its eyes at its bird enemy and just like that the Pidgey dropped from the sky, falling unconscious immediately. The two boys remained silent as the pink Pokémon stared at them. _

"_I think that was a psychic move." Steven thought aloud with a fearful expression on his face. _

"_Of course it was! How else is it staying in the air li-" the irate boy venomously shot back, however a sudden tremor knocked the two off their feet and sent them tumbling to the ground. "Huh?" Ross wondered with a curious blink however the two boys didn't have much time to even think of a decent course of action as a huge boulder began to roll down on the four, picking up speed as it rocked down the hill. The two boys could only scream in unmoveable fear as they stared at their oncoming death with widened eyes. _

_The pink Pokémon narrowed its eyes, quickly positioning itself between the racing boulder and the screaming boys before it let out a small grunt. Immediately and without warning the large boulder stopped in its tracks, now levitating in the air just above them all covered in a pink aura. Both Ross and Steven had halted their screaming as they watched the levitating boulder with whines. The Pokémon let out a final squeak of energy as it whipped its head 'round, systematically sending the boulder sailing away from the party of four safely. Both boys watched the pink Pokémon save their lives with widened eyes before they turned 'round to the levitating creature with a blink. _

_The Pokémon merely giggled at the two as it flew around playfully. _

"_That was awesome!" Ross spoke up with his grin reappearing on his face like a sore. "It just did that psychic thing and threw that huge rock into Pallet town!" the young boy laughed, eliciting a relieved laugh from his own companion. "Wait." Ross began again, his grin slowly creeping off his face. It took the young boy several seconds before realisation finally dawned on his face. _

_And true fear. _

"_Pallet! No!" Ross exclaimed with widened eyes as he stood up and made for the exit of the woods. "Mom! Dad!" he called as he raced through the trees. Steven blinked before widening his own eyes and doing the same. _

_The pink coloured Pokémon merely stared after the two boys with its head cocked to the side. _

_Ross huffed as he ran through the Pallet woods, his eyes narrowed and his teeth grit as newly fallen rain began to patter against his head. He knew that weird Pokémon had thrown the boulder into Pallet town, he just hoped the rock didn't hit anything… _

_After finally exiting the woods Ross's first impression was that his growing fear had been groundless and he smiled. _

_Until he caught sight of the dirty great rock that poked out of his parent's house. _

"_No…" Ross murmured, his eyes slowly growing to the size of dinner plates. "Mom! Dad! Daisy!" he called his family as he raced through the muddy ground. However as he began to close in on the crushed house he was suddenly grabbed and pulled aside. The boy looked 'round with an escalated sense of fear and calmed down when he saw it was his grandfather. But only slightly._

_A blinking Steven gave a frown as he watched his friend crying in the middle of Pallet Town, held only by the frowning Professor Oak. _

_A thunderstorm echoed, as if adding to the misery. _

Kanto. A rich land situated to the east of the land of Johto, mostly known for its presence of the strange creatures known only as Pokémon. Home to the walking encyclopedia, Professor Samuel Oak, Kanto is a very lucky region that even takes its peace for granted. Here in the small town of Pallet the sun sets as two children attempt to capture a wild Rattata.

"You're supposed to _hit_ the Rattata doofus!" a boy exclaimed, criticising his friend with narrowed eyes.

"Why don't you try huh?" the young girl shot back, narrowing her own eyes at the quick male. However before the two could continue their quickly conjured argument any further a hearty chuckle interrupted them. The children blinked as they looked 'round to their sides.

"You have to weaken the Pokémon first." the stranger pointed out. The two children raised their eyebrows at the smiling, twelve year old brown haired boy that stood just a stone's throw away. "Here. I'll show you." the boy smiled again as he brought out a Poké ball before throwing it into the air. The children watched with wonder as the white energy that escaped the sphere made its way back down to the ground to form a monster.

A small, purple coloured, horned, four legged Pokémon stood its ground against the wild Rattata.

"Ni!" the Pokémon cried, signalling its status.

"What's that one?" the girl asked with a blink.

"A Nidoran. There's two types." the older boy replied with a polite smile before returning his attention to the battle at hand. "Nidoran! Poison Sting attack!" the male ordered with a frown and a point of his finger. The said Nidoran gave another 'Ni!' before it charged at its foe. The Rattata quickly leaped out of its enemy's way, a sly smirk on its face. "Quick! To the right!" the Nidoran's trainer ordered swiftly. The poison type obeyed with a nod as it skidded in its tracks and composing itself quickly it leaped at its enemy anew. However the Rattata this time was still recovering and widened its eyes as it watched the Nidoran plunge its little horn into its face. The rat Pokémon let out a cry in pain as it was sent a few yards back, lying face down on the ground.

"Why is it purple?" the blinking boy asked as he watched.

"That's a status change." Steven spoke up as he looked over at the young boy with a smile. "It's poisoned thanks to my Nidoran's attack so it'll lose its HP steadily," the trainer added with another smile before turning his attention back to the frozen battle.

"Then it'll faint!" the young girl cried happily as she clapped her hands in glee.

"Ah but we don't want that," Steven shot back with a grin, signalling her off with a little wave of his index finger.

"Why not?"

"Well if it's fainted you can't catch it. Simple." the know it all trainer answered with another smile before taking another look at his soon to be caught victim. The Rattata was taking its sweet time in attempting to raise itself from the ground while the Nidoran stood by, narrowing its eyes at the Rattata as if waiting for an order. "All right watch this." Steven grinned as he brought out a tiny sphere out of his jeans pocket before pressing a little button in the middle of it, enlargening it instantly. The two children blinked as they stared at the strange contraption with wonder, asking themselves what it could possibly do. However their question was answered as a frowning Steven narrowed his eyes before hurling the sphere at the weakened Rattata. The two children gasped as they watched the rat Pokémon give a final grunt before it turned into red energy and sailed into the open ball. "Now we wait." the trainer murmured as he watched the ball intensely, as if a hawk watching his soon to be prize. The sphere rolled once. Twice. Thrice. Before it finally stopped, a click sounding from the sphere. "Gotcha!" Steven grinned as Nidoran ran up to its trainer with the Poké ball in its mouth, placing it in his open hand. "And _that_ is how you catch a Pokémon," the trainer grinned as he caught Rattata's ball in his right hand coolly. The two children raised eyebrows at the older boy.

"Gee thanks mister but we need to go home now so see ya later." the young girl said with a fake smile before about turning and heading off with a frown.

"Weirdo," the young boy muttered under his breath as he trudged along the small town. Steven smiled as he gave the two children a wave.

"Careful out there! There's wild Pokémon out at night you know!" Steven called, his usual smile plastered on his face before turning over to his frowning Nidoran with a grin. "I guess we sure showed them huh?" he asked the Pokémon.

"Ni!" the Nidoran replied with its own smile. Steven smiled at the monster before raising a Poké ball and returning it to its resting place before looking up to stare at the setting sun before it disappears at the horizon.

Being one of a mighty two Pokémon trainers in Pallet Town, Steven felt it was his duty to teach the younger generation all he knew _(which wasn't really much but it was a start nonetheless)_.

"I guess Professor Oak could be the one that teaches 'em instead." Steven answered his own question, frowning as he placed both his arms to hang behind his head in a carefree manner. He never really liked the Pallet Professor. He was always found scowling at whoever approached him or even going as far as to moan at them for no reason whatsoever. "Ah but then." Steven began as he looked down at the ground with closing eyes. He remembered the tragedy, which had befallen the Oak family, killing his childhood friend; Ross's parents and his sister all in one night. He turned to look over at the house, which had now become gravesite for the killed members of Pallet. He still had his parents so he couldn't blame the Professor _or_ his grandson for pushing a lot of people away.

It was on that day that Ross decided to shut everyone else out of his life all apart from his grandfather.

Steven sighed as he turned back around to watch the last of the sun set before about turning and heading off back down to his own house. To his loving parents. To his warm bed.

He shook off the guilty pangs and scowled as he headed through the open door to his house, closing it behind him with a neat click.

"Steven." a voice called. The said trainer blinked before walking into the living room to find the source of the voice. Only to find his Mother and Father sitting on sofa with frowns on their faces. Steven raised an eyebrow. "Please come and sit down." his Mother asked in her usual polite tone.

However this almost seemed more of a demand.

Frowning at both his parents the twelve year old walked into the lavishly decorated room before sitting himself down on a free wooden chair, just a few steps away from the settee. And widened his eyes as he noticed another guest was in the room with him.

A scowling, narrow eyed Professor Oak sat on the sofa, just between his Mother and Father, as if hidden. Steven made to get up from his chair immediately.

"Don't even contemplate about leaving boy." his Father challenged quickly, as if seeing the events in front of him before they even happened. Steven gulped down a good deal of saliva before sitting back down on the chair.

"Steven. Professor Oak's here to talk to you about Pokémon training," his Mother pointed out with a frown.

"He is?" Steven asked with a hopeful air to his voice, the smallest of smiles creeping onto his expression. Truth be told the boy was still an unlicensed Pokémon Trainer.

He just hoped _they_ didn't know that…

"Yes." the old Professor spoke up as he sipped the tea in his cup, his eyes closed before he delicately placed the cup down neatly on a coaster on the table in front of him. "I was considering handing you a Pokédex and a license for training." the old man continued as he frowned at the young boy. Steven's eyes widened immediately and a smile began to cross his face. "However." he began, the slightest of smirks creeping onto his features. "It's become apparent that you have been training and catching Pokémon already. _Without_ a license," Oak almost grinned. Steven could've sworn that the old man was actually enjoying this.

"Yeah but-"

"But nothing. You have violated this principle. And because you have broken it you will be barred from carrying any Poké balls outside the house or training any Pokémon until further notice." Oak explained with a small air of satisfaction to his voice before he hung out his open hand. "Now. Your Poké balls. Give them to me," he ordered this time with a frown. Steven could only stare at the Professor with widened eyes

Without his Pokémon what else was he supposed to do? Work in a Poké mart? No he told himself. Training his Nidoran was the only real thing he was good at. And he wasn't about to give it up that easily.

"No." Steven refused as he narrowed his eyes at the old man accusingly. Oak raised an eyebrow still scowling darkly. "If I can't train Pokémon then there's nothing else I can do," he added, giving the old man his own scowl.

"You can work with your Father in the Poké mart in Viridian City," his Mother pointed out with a complacent smile.

"I could do the easiest job in the world and _still_ screw up!" Steven shot back with a scowl. The room had suddenly been giving a tense feel.

"Son just hand over the Poké balls," his Father began as he narrowed his own eyes at the young boy, folding his arms indefinitely.

"Your Father's right young man. I wouldn't want the police involved here. Do you?" Oak asked with a mock smile. Steven's glare 'rounded on the old man instantly.

"What about Ross? He's only a year older than me and he gets a license like that!" the exasperated boy exclaimed as he rose up from his seat quickly, his voice raising as he did so. The Professor's smile was replaced by an even darker scowl than his usual.

"Ross has proven to me that he can handle his Pokémon with care." Oak replied calmly, still narrowing his eyes at the angry boy. "And it seems he's shown much, _much_ more patience than you have my boy," the Professor added quietly, narrowing his eyes even further if that were possible.

"You're only saying all that because he's your grandson!" Steven accused angrily as he pointed at the white coated old man.

"Steven enough." the boy's Father stated with his own frown as he rose himself.

"No! A few years ago Ross did the exact same thing!" the ex-trainer exclaimed, ignoring his Father.

"Oh?" Oak asked with an amused raise of his eyebrow. "And do you have any proof of this?" the Professor continued, giving a small grin as he joined his hands together.

"Sure I do." Steven replied in a calm fashion for the first time in a few minutes, his eyes still narrowed. "The night when his family died," he added, almost lowering his voice. Everyone in the room fell silent immediately.

"How dare yo-"

"During that night me and Ross went to go look for what was causing all those noises in the woods. We saw a Mew," Steven began, his voice lowering back down to normal again. Professor Oak blinked.

"A Mew?" he laughed. "Why that's impossible! Mew is but a fable, not found by even the bravest of explorers," the man scoffed.

"Call it what you want but we found it that night. _Professor_." Steven finished his sentence with a hint of venom, narrowing his eyes. Oak's expression darkened again. "Ross tried to catch it. With a Pokémon." he said, folding his arms. "A Pidgey."

Oak merely stared at the young boy with a blank look on his face, his hands still conjoined.

"Professor?" Steven's Mother asked as she waved at the said Professor. Immediately the man burst into laughter, slapping his knee violently as if he was just told the best joke he'll hear in his old age.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" the old man laughed obliviously. Both Steven and his Father exchanged raised eyebrows. "Oh that was a good one." he said with a smile, wiping off some tears of laughter. "I haven't laughed that much since I was a little girl thank you," Oak smirked at the young boy insultingly. Steven's eyes narrowed.

"But it's tr-"

"But I don't expect you to even _mention_ what happened that night Ross's family died." Professor Oak warned, changing his grin to another scowl almost instantly as he rose himself from his seat and pointed down at the wide eyed boy. "Are we clear?" he asked dangerously, narrowing his eyes. Steven made ready to deny the old man's accusations however both his Parents gave him simultaneous shakes of their heads, obviously telling him otherwise.

"Fine! Take 'em!" Steven suddenly exclaimed in exasperation as he flung all his Poké balls at the Professor. Oak widened his eyes in sudden surprise before he composed himself and quickly caught the oncoming spheres expertly in his hands.

"Glad we could work things out in a peaceful manner." Professor Oak said with a satisfied smirk, turning 'round and thanking the two Parents before finally making his way out the house. Steven smirked as he began to head up the stairs to his own bedroom for a hasty and yet careful retreat.

"Get back down here!" the Father called, quickly anticipating his wincing son's actions. The boy gave a huff as he trudged down the wooden steps, two of his hands thrust deep in his pockets.

"This isn't going to be another lecture is it?" the disgruntled boy asked in a cheeky manner, his eyes drooped. The Parents both exchanged incredulous looks before simultaneously sighing. "What?" Steven asked, raising his eyebrow.

* * *

Hurling a toy Poké ball across the room with an angry grunt, Steven stared after it with a dark scowl. The ex-Pokémon trainer placed both his hands behind his head as he collapsed on his bed, staring up at the dark ceiling above him.

"That old man thinks he can take _my_ Pokémon away from me." the boy muttered, narrowing his eyes. Truth be told he didn't really care much about his newly caught Rattata _or_ his old Nidoran, the point was, no permanently angry old man could just steal away someone else's property like that no matter what they had did, Steven decided. The young boy racked his brain for possible ways to get back at the old Professor as he switched on his small television.

And raised an eyebrow at the advert greeting him.

It was the Kanto Professor himself giving a little lecture on the three starter Pokémon for the rookie's day, which was conveniently set to be tomorrow. Steven inwardly growled at the old man smiling. If he hadn't got caught using his Pokémon in front of those kids just today, he may still have had a chance at earning a license. The boy huffed as he stared at the screen, propping his head up with his left elbow as he lay on his bed face down.

"_It is with this in mind that I have gathered three Pokémon for you rookies to begin your journey with."_ the Oak on television stated, continuing his long speech with an unmeant smile, raising his cane at three different models of Pokémon. _"Here we have the grass and poison type Bulbasaur." _the Professor began as he pointed his cane at the grinning model beside him. Steven raised an eyebrow at the Pokémon. He wasn't fond of grass types and he already used a poison type once beforehand. _"They're not very hard to train but they're very versatile."_ Oak continued with his fake smile. _"Next we have Squirtle the water type." _Oak began again as he pointed over at the smiling turtle Pokémon model to the other side of him. Steven winced at the model. _"They're not very strong physically but they end up balanced in their statistics."_ he stated. Steven scoffed quietly. He never did like water types anyway. _"And last but certainly not least is Charmander."_ he began once again. _"A lot of patience is required in training a fire type like Charmander but it repays itself with a powerful evolution."_ the old man finished with a smile as he turned 'round to look at the camera for the second time. Steven's eyes widened. He was sure that Ross had chosen a Bulbasaur from his grandfather and last time he checked fire types had super effective attacks against grass types. The red capped boy grinned as his next idea came to mind.

He decided to get back at the old man by stealing his Charmander and running away from Pallet. That would make the Professor even angrier than he usually is.

Putting his trainers on as quickly as he could manage, he let out an irreplaceable smirk-

- before he heard a sudden Pokémon's cry from outside. Widening his eyes and finishing his last trainer he jumped up on his bed once more to look out the window to find out the commotion.

A turtle Pokémon just outside the house was trotting its way over to still open route one, followed by a hissing old man in a white coat. Steven squinted at the scene. The turtle Pokémon he recognised as the weak Squirtle on the advert he just watched but the old man…

He widened his eyes again and a smirk began creeping onto his lips.

An angry _(as per usual)_ Professor Oak was chasing an escaped starter Pokémon.

"Nice job 'Professor'. Nice job." Steven cackled lightly before leaping off his bed as quietly as he could before walking out his bedroom.

* * *

After following the running old man carefully, Steven had managed to track the Professor down to the old and unattended to, Viridian Gym. Flattening himself against the Gym's wall, he narrowed his eyes at the open Gym's door next to him.

"Man I feel like an espionage guy." Steven said aloud with a little grin.

"Who's there?" a voice called out suddenly. Steven widened his eyes as he realised it was the Viridian policeman making his rounds. Carefully squeaking the Gym's door open, he slinked in before the policeman's flashlight even touched the building.

Steven sighed as he scanned the old worn out Gym in search of the escaped Squirtle and its master-

- and grinned as he caught sight of them. 'Round the corner a whispering Professor Oak began to close in on the cornered Squirtle, another fake smile plastered on his face.

"Come on now. I won't hurt you little Squirtle." Oak began with a smile, slowly closing in on the frowning little turtle, his hands on either side of him. The Squirtle let out a small whine in reply and as Oak finally got within enough reach, he clawed out his arms to catch the frightened little turtle Pokémon. "Gotcha!" he called with a victorious grin, however his grin was quickly replaced with a frown, as he felt nothing in his hands. "Wha-" he began with a confused blink as he looked up only to narrow his eyes and give his usual scowl once again. A grinning Steven stood just a few steps away from the old man, holding the blinking Squirtle in his hands. Even in the darkness Oak could tell who it was. "What are you doing boy?" he questioned dangerously, growling. "You'll only damage your own precarious position if you're going to do what I _think_ you'll do," Oak almost accused, breathing heavily as he bore holes through the smirking pre-teen boy.

"And what do _you_ think I'll do?" Steven asked stupidly, raising his eyebrow as he grinned at the man. Oak merely scowled even darker at the boy as he made ready to retort however his facial expression suddenly changed to a wide eyed one. Steven kept his eyebrow raised but lost his grin. "What?" he asked. Professor Oak raised his right index finger shakily and pointed behind the boy. Steven could only blink. "Seriously what's the ma-" he began his question, however it was answered before it was even asked. Not by the Professor but by a strange goo like substance that rolled down his right shoulder. Turning around with a deliberate slow tempo, he clenched his teeth with a wince at the bewildering sight that stood before him.

A large Arcanine, its face just inches away from Steven's, growled lowly as it bared its sharp teeth at the boy.

"Oh hell." Steven winced.

The Arcanine let out a long and proud roar at the young boy in front of it, sending him a few steps back merely due to its force. The ex-Pokémon trainer let out a grunt as he fell onto the hard stone floor of the Viridian Gym, earning a squeak from the Squirtle in his arms.

"What is that?!" Steven asked the old man next to him, backing up as far away from the drooling dog-like creature as he could.

"It's an Arcanine." Oak spoke up as he rose himself, narrowing his eyes at the said Pokémon. "A Fire type. They're weak to Water types. Quick! Use the Squirtle!" The Professor demanded as he pointed at the oncoming fire type frantically. Steven smirked inwardly. He saw his chance.

"But I thought I wasn't supposed to use Pokémon in battle anymore," the boy shot back quietly with a mock frown. The old man grit his teeth angrily at the rebellious young boy.

"We'll never see any Pokémon again if you don't use it!" the Professor claimed as the Arcanine licked its lips, closing in on the cornered two.

"I'm sorry Professor Oak." Steven sighed mockingly as he shrugged at the man. "But I'd be putting us both in _danger_ if I used another Pokémon. Remember?" he continued, finishing off his sentence with a snake-like smirk.

"_If you don't use that Pokémon then we'll both be dead!"_ Professor Oak quite literally screamed at the young boy angrily, shaking his fists.

"Ooookay oookay! But only if you agree to one condition."

"Name it!"

"Hand me a real license to train Pokémon and give me my other Pokémon back," Steven shot back quickly. And this time it was his turn to scowl at the old man. Oak bared his teeth at the boy angrily, however the growling Arcanine changed his mind immediately.

"All right, all right fine! Just take that Arcanine down!" Oak ordered with a frantic point of his finger. Steven smirked as he let the Squirtle in his hands step onto the ground below it.

"All right let's start things off Squirtle!" Steven began as he grinned. "Go for a tackle!" he ordered, pointing at the Arcanine. Both Oak and the Squirtle stared at the trainer as if he were mad. "Do it!" Steven ordered again, frowning. The Squirtle sighed before rushing forward at the Arcanine and as it finally made enough space between itself and its foe the water type turtle leaped at its enemy, its bald head positioned to attack. The tackle made contact and the Gym fell silent.

Before the Arcanine let loose what could only be described as derisive laughter.

"I don't think that did much," Oak pointed out with a frown.

"Yeah I think I realise that." Steven shot back quickly and with a venomous touch to his voice before looking back 'round. The newly reinstated Pokémon trainer looked around the dark Gym for any sort of clue to beat the wild Pokémon-

- and blinked as he looked up at a strange device in the ceiling. A sprinkler.

And then a light bulb formed in the young boy's head. "Squirtle!" he called. The turtle Pokémon turned its head with a blink. "Do a Barrel roll!" he said. He earned a few blinks. "I mean taunt the Arcanine!" he amended with a frown. The Squirtle blinked again but nodded nonetheless before it about turned and shook its behind at the already volatile Pokémon.

"Are you mad boy? You'll make it more angrier than it already is!" Oak complained with a scowl.

"Yeah you _would_ know." Steven shot back with a smirk. Oak sighed.

The Arcanine growled higher at the little Squirtle's arrogance, as its insult was an insult to its pride. And so it raised its head, gathering energy in its mouth with a low growl.

"All right now Squirtle! Jump for the ceiling and hang there!" Steven ordered quickly with a concentrated frown. The Squirtle again blinked before shrugging and using the many walls in the Gym, it wall kicked off each one before it finally managed to grasp the sprinkler with its little hands.

"What are you doi-" Oak asked with a narrow of his eyes, however he was shushed immediately with a quick 'Shh!' from the boy. Oak drooped his eyes.

The Arcanine, not even caring about the sudden change in its enemy's behaviour let loose its long awaited fire attack. The Arcanine narrowed its eyes at its hanging enemy hatefully as it let loose a Flamethrower.

"Now Squirtle! Let go!" the turtle's substitute trainer ordered. The Pokémon gave a squeak as it did just that, allowing the fire type attack to scorch the part of the ceiling where it had just been. And as if on cue, water began to fall out of the sprinklers, alerting the Arcanine painfully. The fire type Pokémon let out a whine as the many droplets of water pattered on it. "All right now to end it!" Steven began with a smirk as he swiped at the air with his right hand. "Squirtle tackle it!" he ordered, grinning as he pointed at the foe. The Squirtle nodded obediently before rushing at the Arcanine as fast as it could. Crashing into the Pokémon at the fullest force it could muster, both the Squirtle and the Arcanine let out grunts of pain.

However the Arcanine, now taken off guard, let out another whine as it was sent a few yards away from its enemy, landing on the ground on its side.

The now weakened fire type let out a final whine and as it found the strength to lift itself it ran off in the direction it presumably came from.

"And it's down for the count." Steven smirked overconfidently as he saluted the Arcanine off mockingly.

"Squir! Squirtle!" the water type turtle echoed with an open smile, raising its little hands in victory.

"Now." Steven began as he about turned and walked up to the blinking Oak, still taken aback by the events before him. "About that license." the young boy grinned. Oak sighed.

* * *

A/N: Yeah I know Oak was a bit OOC from the lol Anime AND the games but hell change is good. I guess. XD So yeah in any case dat's it for now. Hope you enjoyed and even if you didn't _please_ leave a review. I enjoy criticism as well as praise you know. :p Oh ho ho. Thanks all. Till next time yo.


	2. The Joy and mystery of Mushrooms

**Chapter 2: The Joy (and mystery) of Mushrooms**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its generic merchandise. Oh ho ho. **

**Featured song: Papagenu (He's my Sassafrass) – Tenacious D.**

_A/N: Yup the old thank you's. Which… Isn't much. But not a surprise. Oh ho ho. _

_The Devil Deity: Hey so am I. XD And ah Oak like yer Uncle eh? Fair enough I guess. XD Well in any case hope you enjoy the chapter and such. _

_Standard-DB: Interesting? lol. We'll see about dat. And yeah probably, knowing my quality of work. Oh well. And yeah we'll see. Well in any case hope you enjoy the chapter and such. _

_DON'TGIVEMEANYO'YOURLIP!_

* * *

"All right. Here." Professor Oak muttered with a beaten scowl as he handed the boy standing before him a small package. The boy, now known as Steven, raised an eyebrow at it. "In that is your Nidoran, your other free Poké balls and a Pokédex. Use them however you see fit." he explained as he pointed at the said objects in the little bag. "And this." he began again, still scowling as he brought out a laminated card. "Is your license. Call it a Trainer Card if you will. This will allow you to participate in Gym battles and the Kanto Pokémon league," The old man further explained grudgingly, his eyes drooped. Steven blinked as he took the card to have a closer look at it.

_Trainer ID: 63966_

_Name: Steven Murray_

_Money: 3000 _

_Pokédex: 0_

And conveniently placed to the top right was a small picture of the young boy's smiling face.

"It automatically updates itself if you receive more money from winning a battle or if you obtain another new Pokémon. It's quite an invention if I do say so myself," the Professor continued as he smiled for the first time that day – and perhaps in a long while – as he stared at his work in self awe.

"Ah." Steven blinked as he turned the card 'round to look for anything else that might've been imprinted. Finding none he stuffed the card in his bag. "And…?" he prodded further, his eyebrow still rose as he grinned.

"Ah yes." Oak said, sighing as he pinched the skin between his eyes, nursing his growing anger. "You are authorised to take one starter Pokémon from my table to begin your journey," he explained.

"All right!" Steven grinned as he shooted over to the far right side of the said table, grabbing the Poké ball with the fireball sign depicted on it.

"But you should know-" Oak began with a frown as he watched the young boy move quickly, however he sighed during mid speech, deciding not even to finish.

"Come on out Charmander!" Steven grinned as he threw the Poké ball into the air in an epic fashion, awaiting the said Pokémon to burst out of its ball. The sphere _did_ indeed open.

But nothing came out.

Steven blinked as the empty white and red coloured ball fell back into his hands.

"I'm afraid that the last Charmander was stolen last night. While we were in the Viridian Gym fighting with a wild Arcanine," Oak explained with a frown as he rested his hand on the table next to him. Steven scowled.

"Fine." he muttered with a pout, like a small child who had been deprived of his sweet. "I suppose I'll have to settle for a Bulbasaur!" the young boy grinned again as he grabbed the next ball, this time a leaf depicted on the container. "Go!" he ordered with his usual confident grin, hurling the ball into the air once again.

And was surprised to find that one empty.

"The last Bulbasaur was actually taken by my grandson just yesterday," Oak spoke up as he put both his conjoined hands behind his back, giving his usual scowl as he did so.

"Tch. What a surprise." Steven replied inaudibly, earning a raised eyebrow from the Professor. "I guess I'll have to take the reject then," he moaned, picking up the last Poké ball on the table with his own scowl, a water droplet designed on the ball. Not even bothering to throw the sphere, he opened it in his hands automatically.

And was met with nothing. _Again._

"Oh come _on!_" the young boy exclaimed in angry exasperation, throwing the Poké ball away. Oak sighed.

"I do have one left-" the Pokémon Professor began as he pinched the skin between his eyes in his own show of exasperation.

"Then give us it 'ere!" Steven shot back as quick as could be, grinning as he balled up his fingerless gloved fist. "Oh god wait." he began, gaining a frown immediately. "You're not giving me a _Pikachu_ are you?" he asked, wincing. Oak blinked.

"No, no!" he replied with a scowl as he walked over to the metal table. "The only Pokémon I have left is this one really," the Professor confessed as he grabbed something from the floor and placed it on the metal table in front of him. Steven's eyes widened as he grinned, awaiting what he presumed was the Pokémon he wanted-

- and frowned in disappointment. A Squirtle stood before him, smiling.

"Squir!" the water type exclaimed with a open mouth smile, raising its hands as if for its new trainer to embrace it in a hug.

"It's the Squirtle that escaped last night. The one you used in battling the wild Arcanine." Oak explained with a frown as he folded his arms. "If you two were able to beat a wild Arcanine with a level 5 Squirtle I do think you two would be excellent partners," the Professor continued, still frowning at the boy. Steven merely scowled distastefully at the smiling turtle Pokémon before sighing.

"Well I guess I can't be too picky." the boy said as he walked closer to the water type. Reaching for the Pokémon, he frowned, however the Squirtle didn't take to such behaviour very well and immediately let loose a swift jet of water out of its mouth, soaking the boy's face. Steven stopped in his tracks, wide eyed and frowning as his damp hair fell over his eyes.

"Squirtle are usually known to have no quarrels with embracing their trainers but it seems this one doesn't." Professor Oak further explained as he closed his eyes as if thinking out his speech.

Steven's eyes drooped.

* * *

"Here we are. Viridian City." Steven read aloud from the Kanto map he carried in his hands. He gave a blink at the layout of the small area. It seemed different in daylight he decided.

After receiving all the supplies he'd ever need from both his parents and the scowling Professor Oak, Steven had set out on his adventure to 'conquer Kanto'.

Once his parents agreed to it that was…

"I may not have a Charmander with me but I'll _still_ manage to take over Kanto." Steven said to himself with a confident grin as he placed both his arms to rest behind his head in a comfortable position. "Oh but wait. Where am I supposed to go first?" he asked himself with a blink before bringing out his map once again. "Pewter City eh?" he read aloud at the little marker, about two dots away from Viridian. The boy raised an eyebrow at the smaller dot in between Viridian and Pewter, only to realise the little marker above the dot read 'Viridian Forest'. "A forest. Christ." he muttered to himself with a wince before sighing and pocketing the map in his back jeans.

Heading down the road the led to the said forest, he frowned as he affixed his backpack before continuing on. He raised a brown eyebrow however at possibly the strangest sight he had seen in his life so far.

An elderly old man laid himself in the middle of the road on his side, a scowl set on his face while a wincing young woman attempted to talk to him.

Let alone _move_ him.

"Come on granddad. Please?" she asked as she knelt next to the folded armed old man.

"No! Not until I get my morning coffee!" he shot back angrily, pouting like a young child. The young woman sighed as she about turned to address the staring, blinking boy.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do here. He's too stubborn and old to be moved like this," she apologised with a frown. Steven sighed before he took off his backpack and placed it on the ground, kneeling next to it as he opened the bag up and took out some of its contents. Both the young woman and old man blinked as they watched on. Steven sighed again as he brought out a long and hot flask, taking off the cup and pouring the warm contents into the container before handing it over to the young woman near him. She blinked as she looked down at the beverage in her hands. Coffee. "Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly, smiling. Steven nodded with a sarcastic smile of his own as the girl handed her old grandfather the cup. Immediately the codger brightened his expression and stood up quicker than a rat leaving a sinking ship.

"Ahh!" he hummed comfortably as the drink sailed down his throat for the first time, causing a smile to break out suddenly and widen from ear to ear. "Thank you, young man! I have all the energy I need now!" the old man smiled happily.

"Yeah don't bother apologising or anything," Steven muttered under his breath as he closed his bag and affixed onto his back once more. The old man's smile changed to a scowl once more.

"I heard that." he shot back, narrowing his eyes at the frowning boy. "You young 'uns should respect your elders," he added on, pointing at the boy accusingly.

"Elders that act like kids in that list then?" Steven replied, a fake smile on his features. The older girl next to him gave a small chuckle. The grandfather seethed, the coffee in his hand spilling over his hand.

"Careful granddad." the young granddaughter said as she hurried over to the old man. "You don't want to over exert yourself," she smiled as she put her arms 'round the scowling old man.

"Yes, yes." he mumbled under his breath as he stood in a slouched position, returning to his angry old man routine once again. "And here I was going to teach the rookie how to catch a Pokémon. For shame," the old man frowned as he shook his head disappointingly at the young boy.

"But I already know how to-" Steven began; frowning also however he was stopped in mid-sentence by the narrow eyed old man.

"No! I want none of your ill-bred excuses and lies! And take your coffee back!" the old man spouted on as he thrust the flask cup into the young boy's hands before he about turned and stormed off.

"Thank god for easily angered old people," Steven mumbled as he watched the old man walk off, like a child who had just been kicked out of an event. The granddaughter giggled at the supposed amusing scene before looking down at the boy with a smile.

"Don't worry he'll be fine. He just goes into his little huffs when things don't go his way," she pointed out as she turned to look over at the mumbling old man.

"Eh it's fine. I think I'm used to dealing with angry old people anyway." Steven replied with his own smile as he waved off the girl, earning another amused giggle.

After giving each other a goodbye, Steven had decided to finally depart for the Viridian forest to continue his journey.

And almost regretted it.

The young boy cringed as he watched several bug type Pokémon trot and fly near him, just a few steps away in the tall grass.

"I hate bug types." he muttered as he fished through his red vest to bring out two Poké balls. Opening them in his hands he frowned down at the blinking Nidoran and Squirtle that stood below him. "You two. Stand near and guard me." he ordered pointing at the two for added effect. The two Pokémon raised their eyebrows as they exchanged looks. "Make sure no bug Pokémon even get near," he said monotonously, frowning at his two partners. The Pokémon shrugged before giving their trainer their best grins.

"Ni!" the Nidoran called, standing fast in its position ready should any battle turn up.

"Squirtle!" the little turtle Pokémon nodded as it swivelled 'round and narrowed its large blue eyes at the surroundings, as if looking for any possible enemies. Steven grinned as he looked down at his two bodyguards before continuing on. Heading on through the dense forest, Steven's smiling expression changed to an immediate narrow eyed look as a rustle in the bushes caught both him and his Pokémon's attention.

"Nidoran! Go for that!" the trainer ordered quickly, pointing over at the rustling bushes.

"Ni!" the Nidoran called out in its little war cry before it ran over to the noise and disappeared inside the bushes. Both Steven and his Squirtle narrowed their eyes as they watched, awaiting the Nidoran to reappear with a grin on its face.

However this was not so.

Some more rustling. Then Nidoran gave a pained cry. Both Steven and his Pokémon blinked simultaneously before the Nidoran finally reappeared back where it went into, its eyes swirling around.

Fainted.

"What in the-" Steven muttered under his breath as he ran over to his Poison type, blinking as he knelt down next to it. However the answer soon made itself clear. A scowling, narrow eyed Ross divided the bushes open. "Ross?" the young boy asked with a blink as he looked up at the older boy. "Hey!" he suddenly called, realisation kicking in. "What'd you do that for?!" the boy accused angrily, losing his docile disposition immediately as he narrowed his eyes.

"Hmph." Ross shot back with a frown before a grin began to creep onto his face. "I was training the Bulbasaur against grass types you see." he began as he opened the road for his said Pokémon, showing the narrow eyed grass and poison type. "But your Nidoran was so weak I had thought it was a native to this area," he added, his smirk overtaking his old frown as he closed his Pokédex. Steven narrowed his eyes and raised himself before going for a shouting punch at the boy. "Bulbasaur." Ross called quickly, his frown returning once again. And the grass Pokémon nodded before vines shot out of the seed on its back, wrapping themselves 'round its trainer's attacker. Steven widened his eyes as he was lifted into the air by the Bulbasaur's vines, his arms and legs tethered tightly. "Idiot brute." Ross began, narrowing his eyes at his former childhood friend. "You know nothing of strategy, _or_ the feelings of anyone else's besides your own." he accused. "You're just a spoiled child," he added on with a grin and a chuckle, eliciting his Bulbasaur to join in the small laugh he had managed to pull out.

"Shut up!" Steven shot back immediately, baring his teeth at the boy before nodding his head at his Squirtle and then at his supposed enemy. "Squirtle! Attack that Bulba-" the tied boy began, his eyes narrowed at the water type. The little turtle Pokémon readied itself for battle, narrowing its own eyes.

"If I were you I'd cancel that order." Ross spoke up immediately, frowning at the blinking boy. "With Bulbasaur's type advantage over your little Squirtle I personally doubt it'll be able to stand little less than a few seconds," he claimed, narrowing his eyes. Steven blinked again as he stared into his rival's eyes. Something told him that Ross wouldn't just let him off with a fainted team of two Pokémon he told himself. Looking away with a grunt, Steven sulked. "Good." Ross smiled. "Bulbasaur. Let go." he ordered with a frown. The said Bulbasaur merely nodded before the vines that held up the younger boy began to pull back and retreat down underneath its seed once again. Steven let out a cringing grunt as he fell onto the grass below him.

"How are your Pokémon so much stronger than mine anyway?!" the beaten young Pallet trainer questioned angrily as he attended to his fainted Nidoran immediately, glaring at the older boy standing above him.

"Because I train. A lot." Ross replied with a frown as he folded his arms at the glaring boy. "But also. Because. Of those." he finished, pointing over to a few mushrooms not very far from the two trainers. Steven blinked as his eyes came upon the mysterious fungus. There were a few of them and yet the strange thing about them was, they were both huge for their size and a sickly colour of green.

"Mushrooms?" he parroted, blinking as he crawled over to the fungus. Ross raised his eyebrow and gave a smirking nod.

"Mm-hm. They've increased my Pokémon's effort values enough to make them powerhouses," Ross explained with a smirk as he examined his finely cut his nails. Steven nodded as he plucked the mushrooms out of the ground, placing his tongue at the edge of his mouth, as if in concentration. Ross merely chuckled to himself as he walked off with his Bulbasaur the grass and poison type trotting after him.

"Where are you going? We could try these out!" Steven called with a blink. The grinning trainer merely laughed again as he raised his left hand, as if to wave off the younger boy.

"Suit yourself." Steven shrugged. "More for me and my team." he grinned as he walked over to the Squirtle and now newly awoken Nidoran. He plonked himself next to his two Pokémon and gave the monsters an equal share of the freshly plucked mushrooms. Both Nidoran and Squirtle exchanged worried looks as they watched their trainer smile happily, watching the boy take a mushroom and get ready to eat it. However the young trainer stopped as he felt his team's worried stares on him. "Och." he muttered as he lowered the mushroom, scowling at his two Pokémon. "If Ross hadn't said they helped his Pokémon then I wouldn't be giving you 'em! Now eat up. They'll make you stronger than _his_ Pokémon at least." he muttered with a scowl as he looked over at the disappearing form of Ross and his Bulbasaur before looking back down at his own team with a grin. "Now. Gentleman." he began. "Start your engines!" he grinned as he raised his mushroom into the air, ready to devour at any given moment. The two Pokémon sighed as they got themselves ready. "Begin!" the trainer ordered with a grin as he began to wolf down the fungus, not even cringing as he did so. The two Pokémon however merely watched their trainer eat with raised eyebrows and a strange expression on their faces. Finishing his meal the young boy smiled as he wiped the remainder of the mushroom off his face before looking down at his two Pokémon, a disappointed frown growing on his face. "Why haven't you eaten anything?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The Nidoran and Squirtle seemed to exchange another worried look.

And then the Pokémon disappeared. Steven blinked.

"Squirtle? Nidoran?" he asked, blinking as he went in closer to feel the ground where they once were. And he watched the afterimages of his hands move around, as if he was moving at a tremendous speed. "Whoa." he mumbled, his mouth open in wonder as he watched his hands leave afterimages of themselves right in front of him. "What in the name?" he asked himself with a blink before raising himself to have a look at the surrounding landscape. He knew he was supposed to be in the Viridian Forest, en route to Pewter City.

But he doubted even that. He blinked as he stared ahead of him. In front of the young man was something he never would've dreamed of seeing again in his life. A pink coloured cat-like Pokémon that giggled at him.

Mew.

"You." he said, pointing his index finger at the Psychic Pokémon. "You were the one that killed Ross's parents! And made him what he is!" the boy accused, narrowing his eyes at the Pokémon. However all he received was another few giggles out of the monster. He grit his teeth angrily before he rushed towards the Pokémon, pulling his fist back as if to punch the monster.

And stopped in his tracks suddenly, falling onto his rear as his eyes widened. The Pokémon seemed to change form into another cat-like monster, only this one was much taller and heavier. It was a purple coloured version of the Mew but with small differences bar the height and weight.

Raising its only three fingers it narrowed its indigo eyes at the boy. Steven blinked in confusion only to widen his eyes as he was suddenly sent flying in the opposite direction he faced. Letting out a pained yell, he grinded his teeth together as he was slammed against a tree hard. Moaning in pain as he fell back down to earth, he looked back up after nursing his aching head-

- and widened his eyes again at the Arcanine that let loose a Flamethrower at him, its eyes glazing over in fury.

"What in the na-" he began with a horrified expression on his face before he instinctively raised both his arms to shield himself as best as possible from the fire. He winced as he felt the warmth circling his body, expecting to be burned or charred.

And yet nothing. No pain of any sort coursed through any part of his body.

Steven blinked as he raised his head at the attacking Pokémon, only to lay eyes on another strange sight. A Kangaskhan stood before the young boy – now in place of the Arcanine – beckoning him over with its index fingernail. The young trainer blinked before standing up and walking over to the presumably wild Pokémon. "You mean. Me? In there?" he asked, blinking as he pointed to himself and then at the large pouch the Kangaskhan carried. The normal type Pokémon merely smiled and nodded. Steven grinned as he jumped in the pouch, laughing as he was bounced around the Viridian Forest.

Meanwhile a blinking Squirtle and Nidoran watched their trainer bounce around like a Kangaroo, laughing to himself. The two Pokémon looked down at the mushrooms before sighing simultaneously.

* * *

A/N: Yup that's it. Not too long but oh well. What you gonna do? Get Felcon on me? Oh noes. Oh hold on that's the door.

… I have nothing to say. I now suffer from third degree burns. Oh well. :(

Thanks all. Till next time and whatnot.


	3. The Great Escape

**Chapter 3: The Great Escape **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its stuff. Oh noes. **

_A/N: Two reviews eh? From my friends again and all. Ach well. XD_

_Standard-DB: Ah but doesn't everyone? Oh ho ho ho! But yeah you were right. XD I knoes. Though I explained it in the first chapter and…Whatnot. Och well. REALLY quick though eh? Hey I'm not John Freeman. No matter how much I want to be. :( Ach well. Hope you enjoy the rest and such. _

_The Devil Deity: Weird you say? Drugs can do dat. Oh ho ho. Mew evil? I didn't intend to give off that vibe but fair enough I guess. XD Mew three though. Lol. Two is enough I say. Well in any case hope you enjoy the chapter and whatnot. _

_Omg. _

* * *

"Water gun go!" Steven cried, pointing over at his Squirtle's foe.

"No! My Geodude!" a youngster called, his eyes widening in sudden surprise.

The Geodude's trainer watched on with growing horror as the spouting water jet splashed all over the spluttering rock and ground type's face and soon enough the once thought impregnable Pokémon fell on its back, fainted.

"YES! What a team!" the Pallet trainer added with a grin as he locked his right hand with his Squirtle's, earning a smile from the turtle. "Soon we'll trounce Brock and I'll get one of those badge thingies," he said with a grin as he stood up fully, placing his hands on his hips.

"Brock?" the youngster spoke up with a blink. "You? Beat him? No way." he said, narrowing his eyes at the brown haired boy as he began to attend to his fainted Pokémon. "You have to be good,"

"Hey I beat you easy didn't I?" Steven shot back, narrowing his own eyes at the youngster.

"Yeah but you had to use that." he replied, pointing over at the blinking Squirtle. "Real men beat rock types without grass or water types," he finished with a know-it-all smirk. Steven exchanged a blink with the Squirtle before looking back down at the youngster with narrowed eyes.

"Fine I'll beat him without water types,"

The youngster grinned. "Or grass types,"

"Or grass types!" Steven rectified angrily taking a quick step forward, as if to silence the grinning boy. "Come on Squirtle, we don't need his help." he added with narrowed eyes and with a quick adjustment of his red backpack he about turned and walked off, his water type Pokémon in tow. However the youngster merely watched him leave with a small grin before he chuckled and returned his attention to his fainted Pokémon.

En route to Pewter city, it would be Steven's first time in battling for a Kanto Elite Four badge and also his chance in showing both his parents _and_ the tenacious Professor Oak that he was more than capable enough to take care of himself. Looking down at his Squirtle that waddled next to him he blinked before he turned his head back 'round, a smile spread over his face.

"Yeah we'll manage it." he finished, his thoughts ending there. The water type next to the boy looked up at its trainer before shrugging and continuing its shuffling.

Finally as the boy reached the end of the path, he blinked as he read the landmark's name aloud.

"Well here we are. Pewter Ci-" he began with a smile however the sight that greeted him forced him to stop mid-sentence. The city _(if that's what one would even call it now)_ was in ruins. Rioters ran to and fro, police officers chasing thieves and while all this was happening someone else was having the time of his life, setting fire to the many buildings around. "Whoa." the young boy murmured as he watched. Going in for a closer look, Steven almost winced as he crept into the siren-blazing city, keeping as low as possible.

And widened his eyes as a Police officer's stare 'rounded on him.

"Hey! You! Hold it right there!" the officer ordered as he ran at the blinking boy, pointing his baton at him. Exchanging a shrug with his Squirtle Steven stayed put.

He didn't want to get in trouble already…

The navy colour uniformed man narrowed his eyes as he brought out a pair of handcuffs before placing the inquisitive boy's hands in.

"You're nicked sunshine." he grinned. Steven blinked.

"But I didn't do anything!" the young trainer shot back, his blinking eyes speeding up in furious confusion.

The officer merely scowled. "Sure you didn't. Now are we gonna do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"Listen I already told you I didn't do any-" Steven began again, his confusion turning to exasperated frustration, however he was cut off by a sudden sharp blow to his head and he let out a final grunt of pain before his sight turned pitch black.

"_The easy way." _

* * *

Dark. Dank. And dingy. These three words were the first thing that managed to cross Steven's mind as he opened his vision to his surroundings, only to lay his tired and painful eyes on a dull grey cell. Only thing was...

He was in this one.

"Agh." he muttered as he sucked in through his teeth, his right index finger running along the bump the Police officer had so graciously given him. He frowned as the events that transpired near Pewter came back to him. "Squirtle." the boy muttered angrily as he thought of the water type turtle. While he was being arrested for presumably nothing, his Squirtle managed to hide itself in the tall grass near them. And now he sat in a damp corner of _(he presumed)_ the Pewter City jail for no apparent reason. "Screw this." he said aloud and with a scowl the young trainer pulled himself to his feet with a grunt before heading on over to the lightened steel bars in front of him and pulled at them. As expected they didn't even budge under his little strength and with a grin he reached for a Poké ball at his belt-

- and widened his eyes.

His teeth grit unconsciously as he began to search furiously in his pockets, 'round his waist and in his jacket for _any_ Poké ball at all but alas the young boy was empty. Not even his Trainer Card or Pokédex were in his jacket.

"Perfect." he pouted in an annoyed fashion as he folded his arms and kicked at the steel bars. The red clothed boy regretted it though as a surge of pain waved through his right foot and he began hopping around as he held the limb, hissing out insults at no one in particular. However the trainer soon halted his pained bouncing as a giggle suddenly echoed throughout the jail. His blue eyes narrowed, darting from here to there as he looked for the invisible giggler. "Who's there?!" he asked. Silence. "Is it a Gastly? Or a Haunter?" he asked again. Again silence. "Well you're not taking _my_ soul!" the little trainer proclaimed as he edged a thumb toward himself. "Find your own god damn puppet!" he called. Another giggle. His growing frustration began to turn into fear. "If you're gonna go for me then do it! I'll scream I swear!" he exclaimed shakily, his scowl transforming into a scared frown. And as if to answer his maddened calls a shadowy figure began to lurch into frame, its arms raised high and its fingers shaking in an intimidating manner.

It was then that Steven gave into fear.

Shutting his eyes tightly the boy's arms flew up to protect the top of his head as he dropped to the floor immediately, clenching his teeth firmly. _"Please don't kill me I swear I'll be good!" _the young Pallet trainer shrieked in a rather girly tone. And as he awaited his supposed reaping, Steven's clenched teeth and shut eyes both opened up as laughter – light laughter – suddenly broke through the silence alerting him instantly. His uncapped head shooted 'round to his right to ascertain the current situation as accurately as he could.

A black coloured _(though it was hard to tell due to the bad lighting)_ dressed, long brown haired girl laughed madly at the blinking boy, every now and then punching the cell floor in a hysteric fit.

"You're so easy!" she howled, rolling around on the hard surface.

"Wait just a dern second." Steven began, his eyes narrowing. "How long have you been here?"

The girl stopped her laughing abruptly, grinning. "Longer than you have." she said.

"What are you in for?" Steven blinked, seemingly forgetting that she had been mocking him just a few moments ago. The girl lost her grin and frowned at the boy as she sat up.

"Well I got caught selling fake HP ups, protein, carbos and the like and so here I am," she smiled as she seemingly examined her nails however as it was made apparent it was hard enough to truly ascertain in the current dark. Steven nodded, still blinking. "And you?" she asked.

"Oh. Uh." he began, scrunching up his face in an attempt to uncover the reasons why he sat in this disgusting jail cell.

"_The easy way."_

"Oh yeah." the young trainer muttered, scowling as he did so. The girl raised an eyebrow. "I was arrested for no reason at all that's what. All I did was walk in the city and they put me in here," he said sulking. The girl merely chuckled.

"Yeah I'm not surprised." she said. "Pewter's in a state of chaos right now with riots and whatnot so they're bound to be jumpy," the girl grinned as she laid herself down on the hard surfaced floor, placing her arms up behind her head and crossing her legs.

Steven snorted. "Oh yeah. Jumpy,"

"Hey it could've been worse." the girl suddenly shot back, albeit in a calm tone. Steven raised an eyebrow. "You could've been stuck in here without me," she grinned. Steven blinked before snorting again, scowling at the girl. "No seriously. I can get us outta here," she grinned at him again, her teeth shining in the darkness.

"Yeah right the guard took all our Poké balls away, how you gonna get out?"

"Not all of them." she said. Steven raised another eyebrow, half in annoyance half in confusion. However the girl grinned yet again as she brought out the said sphere out of her dress. "Girls have more hiding places than boys," the girl added with a confident smirk as she enlarged the small sphere in her left hand. Steven widened his eyes before grinning, standing up in sudden excitement.

"Release it! Come on let's go!" he exclaimed restlessly, still grinning like a mad man.

"All right, all right! Settle down rabbit." the girl frowned as she stood up, raising an eyebrow at the frantic boy. "Okay." she began as she pulled her left hand back and with a grin she threw the sphere in the small space the two trainers had. "Go! Deghinsea!" she called. Steven blinked. He didn't remember any Pokémon named Deghinsea…

And widened his eyes at the smiling Pokémon that now stood near him.

"Char! Charmander!" the high voiced fire type smiled as it danced around the cell.

"You're the one who stole that Charmander from the Professor!" Steven suddenly accused as he pointed at the girl rudely. She merely grinned, folding her arms as she closed her eyes to avoid eye contact with the boy, as if it was something for her to be proud of. "And wait. Deghinsea?" he asked her strange choice for a nickname. The girl merely shrugged.

"It sounded cool," she admitted. Steven sighed as he shook his head before pointing at the cell doors.

"Open up!" he demanded impatiently. The girl merely grinned before getting into position.

"Ember go!" the trainer ordered with a point of her index finger. The fire type let out a joyous cry before firing out a small stream of flame at the steel bars in front of it. Steven watched intently, a grin snaking on his features as he waited for the bars to seemingly fall off.

And yet still nothing.

"What gives?" he asked in another rude tone, frowning.

"Dammit!" the girl cursed. "It's not strong enough," she explained, scowling as she did so.

"Perfect." Steven sighed for the second time that day, shaking his head as he did so.

"Squirtle!" a small voice suddenly exclaimed.

"Listen I'm busy right now Squir-" the boy shot back almost angrily, his arms folded and his eyes closed. However suddenly realising his mistake, the trainer's eyes expanded open immediately and he whipped his head around to the source of the inhuman cry. And grinned as he laid his eyes on the open mouthed smiling Squirtle that now stood on the other side of the cell doors. "Squirtle!" he exclaimed as he gave the turtle Pokémon his own smile, kneeling next to the water type-

- and yet he abruptly stopped, frowning.

The Squirtle frowned at its trainer's strange actions before the master raised himself and turned his back on it, folding his arms.

"What's the story?" the girl spoke up, her eyebrow raised as she looked from the Squirtle to its trainer. Steven seemed to scowl at the girl, as if to decide whether or not to tell her anything at all.

"That Squirtle." he began, a coat of venom lacing his sentence. "Just stood by and watched while I was taken in," the boy moaned, staring at the Squirtle through the corner of his eye, earning a shamed expression from the water type.

"Jeez cut it some slack." The girl said, placing a hand on her hips. "It's not like it condemned you or anything. And it's here to help us to boot,"

"Yeah I guess so." Steven replied, his scowl disappearing in place of a frown as he looked over at the turtle Pokémon.

"Squir!" the creature smiled again as it opened its blue arms up as if to embrace its trainer. Steven could only smile at his starter Pokémon before kneeling down next to the monster again and embracing it in a hug, albeit between the steel bars of cell.

"Aww." the girl's voice came. Both Squirtle and Steven's eyes shot open. "That's sweet." she grinned. The Pokémon and its trainer let out a splutter before they attempted to dust themselves off, as if they were suddenly infected by something.

"Righty ho!" Steven began, a grin forming on his face as he backed up to give both the Charmander and his Squirtle some room. "Let's get buseh!" he suddenly exclaimed as he thrust an index finger at the confining bars ahead of him. The brown haired girl merely chuckled at him before ordering another ember attack, eliciting the fire type in her command to let loose the small stream of fire once more, burning the steel. And it was only after the steel bars looked blackened enough did the young Pallet trainer order his own Pokémon to attack. "Squirtle! Tackle the blackened bars now!" he issued with a grin. The tiny turtle blinked at its trainer before shrugging and suddenly rushing at the said bars. "Okay now withdraw!" the boy quickly demanded, a grin still plastered on his face. The Squirtle widened its eyes in surprise however did as it was told and withdrew into its hardened shell, still sailing for the steel bars.

"What are you doi-"

"Shh!"

Narrowing his eyes in deep concentration, Steven frowned as sweat began to drop from his forehead awaiting the next scene to unfurl itself before him. And it was then that the ebony coloured bars that were singed actually _fell_ from their place, clanging against the hard floor.

"All right!" Steven grinned as he punched the air in triumph, however he caught himself immediately and widened his eyes as he watched his Squirtle plummet to the ground. Gritting his teeth he leapt for the falling Pokémon, however his fears were groundless as the shelled turtle was caught in his hands quickly, albeit awkwardly eliciting the young trainer to let out a long sigh. The Squirtle's head, legs and tail all popped out immediately, the water type Pokémon looking around its surroundings to ascertain what had stopped its fall and it smiled at its trainer.

"Hey that wasn't bad." Came the girl's voice again. Steven and his Pokémon both looked up with blinks at the folded armed grinning pre teen girl. "Not bad at all." She added before calling back her Charmander and heading out the cell albeit very carefully.

She knew there was probably traps…

"All right let's go!" she said with a grin as she raced out the cell and down the long corridor, eventually disappearing through the double doors. Steven widened his eyes before raising himself and running off after the girl, placing his Squirtle on his right shoulder. Crashing through the double doors that led to the jail he shut his eyes tight, as if expecting some sort of trap to cut him in half-

- and stopped, opening only one eye to check his surroundings.

In front of him was the main reception, now guarded by many a Police officer.

"Oh hell." The Pallet trainer winced, eliciting the officers to murmur as they looked around for the source of the – although small – noise. However before he could be spotted, the boy let out a squeak as he and his Pokémon were both pulled down into a dark corner to the right. The lightened spots that clouded his vision all dissipated and he blinked as he saw the black dressed girl scowl at him.

"Shh!" she hissed, placing an index finger up to her mouth for added effect. Steven merely nodded. The three sat there for what seemed like an eternity, just waiting and watching the four Police Officers that stood at the entrance, staring down at their location.

And it was then that they all ungrouped, leaving in separate directions.

"Okay! Time to leave!" the brown haired girl grinned before she immediately took off, staying low as she passed the receptionist's table successfully escaping out the main entrance.

"W-wait!" Steven hissed as he made to reach for the quick girl however it was useless and he lowered his hand, frowning as he did so. "This isn't good." he replied, earning a nod in reply from his Squirtle. And then a looming shadow towering over him. Steven's eyes widened before he winced painfully again, looking 'round to his left and then up to lay his eyes on the next scowling Police officer-

- and yet he didn't.

A frowning young man stood in the supposed officer's place, his dark brown eyebrow raised inquisitively. He was a tall teenager that carried a look of manliness due to his stubble. His iron maiden brand t-shirt shined in the dark corner Steven and his Pokémon sat in.

"Uh." the young trainer began. "Hi?" he asked, a nervous air to his voice.

"Where's Kim? She was supposed to be here." the teenager asked, his eyebrow still rose. Both Steven and his Pokémon blinked at the young man. "Christ." he muttered under his breath angrily as his eyes darted from side to side, as if looking for any Police officers. "Screw it. Come on you're with me," he ordered before turning around and running off. Steven could only blink at the events unfolding themselves before him. "Come on!" the teenager hissed impatiently as he stopped. The young trainer in question widened his eyes for the umpteenth time that day before taking off after his new apparent ally, his Squirtle in tow. The two boys quickly rounded a corner, heading up some stairs into what could only be described as an office. And it was then that the teenager stopped running again, crouching down low. Steven followed. "Okay." He began, narrowing his eyes as he looked around the large room only to lock his sight on the window that lied in front of him. "We jump through that window and escape as free men. What do you think?" the teenager grinned at the blinking boy.

"Through a _window?_" Steven repeated, blinking.

"You got a better idea?"

"Well no but-"

"Then the window it is." the young man smirked in triumph. Steven sighed before nodding in agreement. "Now we play the waiting game." he murmured. Steven nodded and then silence bar the office noises.

"Hey! I see 'em!" a voice suddenly exclaimed, alerting the two boys instantly.

"Shit! Screw the waiting game just go!" the iron maiden shirt wearer exploded out before he scrambled himself out of his hiding place, racing for the window. Panic erupted within Steven and he widened his eyes once again before frantically running after his quick ally in a rather awkward fashion.

"Wait! I still need my Nidoran back!" he called after the young man, waving at his form but alas he received nothing in reply. Heaving a sigh as he ran the young trainer grit his teeth-

- when his eyes locked on a steel table that housed a few Poké balls. Two.

Grinning as he approached the table, Steven grabbed the two spheres with his hands before letting out a grunt in achievement. However the Squirtle on his shoulder widened its eyes and pointed ahead of it. Steven blinked before looking 'round only to widen his own eyes and let out a manly squeal as he crashed through the blue tinted window. His eyes shut, the young trainer and his starter Pokémon let out a long yell as they plummeted down to the ground in Pewter City, heading straight for a waste container.

"_Ohhhh heeeeeelll!"_ he yelled loudly as he fell into dump, his voice falling silent as he hit the container. However in a contrasting look the young man that had started the run in the first place grinned as he avoided the waste container rather easily as he caught the side of it and flipped over expertly, landing on his feet dryly.

"Oh yeah." he said, grinning before he looked 'round for his supposed ally. A few seconds passed before a drooped eyed Steven raised himself out of the waste, his red coloured clothes covered in banana skins, used coffee and the like, his water type Pokémon following him. The teenager merely chuckled before he offered a hand to the boy. Steven took it and just like that he was pulled out of the dump, bringing his starter with him. "Sorry about that but I uh. Panicked." he chuckled, folding his arms. Steven merely scowled at the older boy as he cleaned himself off, eliciting his Squirtle to do the same. "Well in any case I'll catch you after," the older boy grinned again as he saluted the younger boy off before about turning and making to run off.

"Wait!" Steven called, reaching out for the young man. He turned around, a confused expression on his face. "Who are you?" the Pallet trainer asked. The teenager merely blinked at him before laughing aloud, remembering the strange _(and also very fast)_ circumstances of their meeting.

"Kevin." the teen grinned before he saluted off his ally and ran off, disappearing into the alleyways of Pewter City.

"Huh." Steven murmured as he stared after the running boy, a curious blink as his expression. And with that he turned 'round to the Squirtle that rested on his shoulder. "You know what Iron Maiden is?" he asked. The water type merely shrugged, eliciting its trainer to blink again before staring after the disappearing teen.

* * *

A/N: A CHALLENGER APPEARS! (Alert theme) Damn Smash Bros. Oh yeah! Pokémon Platinum out in America early 2009, which means it won't be long for us Europeans! :D Mind you I never did buy any of the cornerstone games, minus Yellow. Ho hum. Oh well. Little bit of info for you all. Mweehee. In any case till next time yo.


	4. The Rock Solid Pokémon Trainer

**Chapter 4: The Rock Solid Pokémon Trainer**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. Though I wish I did. =( Then the Anime wouldn't be a lol. Oh ho ho ho!**

_A/N: Aw man. Is THIS going well. XD _

_Standard-DB: Kevin? Yeah I managed an 'original' idea. Go me. XD And oh you liked that Pewter thing I did eh? Mweehee. Eh wasn't much anyway. Ah and Mew. Yeah well I'm a little insensitive shoot me. XD Deghinsea you say? Yeah it'd be stupid to name _any_ Pokémon after that useless old Lizard. Oh ho ho ho! Damn Tibarn. XD Oh and you did, did you? :O Well we'll see. :p In any case hope you enjoy the Chapter and whatnot. _

_Lawlz. _

--

"Your Trainer Card, your equipment, your bag and of course your Pokédex," the Pewter police chief said, frowning as he handed over the confiscated goods to a scowling Steven. It was only _after_ the riot had died down did the Pokémon trainer manage to convince the Pewter Police he had nothing to do with the entire thing.

Tough break.

"Thanks." he murmured, pocketing the Pokédex and Trainer Card in his red jacket before affixing his backpack and looking up at the Police chief. His folded arms and big moustache made him look rather intimidating.

But also a little comical.

He sighed. "If you're looking for the Pewter Gym it's down that way," the middle aged man explained laboriously, pointing a finger ahead of him. Steven blinked, about turning only to find a large building with the red coloured painted words imprinted on top: 'GYM'.

"No it's not that." the Pallet trainer amended with a nervous laugh as he waved his hands in front of the man, as if to stop his train of thought. "I was just wondering who started off that riot that started a few hours ago," he said. The old man blinked before laughing aloud and smiling.

"Well truth be told we don't actually know, as is most the case when a riot on this scale happens especially in Pewter." the Police Chief began. Steven sighed. "But." he started again, eliciting the young trainer to widen his eyes with a smile, as if expecting a result. "I _did_ receive reports that a young kid was setting fire to things while overall making the area more of a panic than it already was," he told, folding his arms again as he looked up in thought.

An eyebrow raised, Steven stared intently at the man. "Any idea who it was?"

"Well." he began, looking down at the young boy before almost wincing. "I was given this sketch of the perpetrator. Here," the chief explained before he handed the Pallet bound trainer a small notebook. Steven took it and with another confused blink he examined the paper in front of him.

And widened his eyes.

A grinning, well-drawn figure dressed exactly like him was frozen in place, set running in an eastern direction, his eyes hiding under the red and white cap that adorned his head.

"Now you understand why that officer arrested you on the spot hm?" the chief grinned, looking down at the boy intently.

"Yeah, yeah." Steven shot back, scowling at the man before looking back down at the grinning picture of himself. "I'll find whoever that is and own 'em," he claimed.

"And in the meantime." the chief began, taking the notebook out of the blinking boy's hands and putting it back into the recesses of his clothes. "We'll maintain our surveillance on you. You understand don't you?" he asked, raising a black eyebrow. The boy was ready to exclaim angrily at the man however remembered the picture.

The damn picture.

"Yeah I guess it'd be fine," he replied, sulking as he looked away from the man. The chief grinned.

"Excellent." he said. "Well in any case I have work to do so with that I will bid you adieu," the respectful man pointed out with another satisfied grin and a _(what Steven thought was anyway)_ sarcastic bow before turning about and walking off, obviously in search of the Pewter police station.

"Yeah I'll see you." Steven frowned before sighing and turning 'round, laying his eyes on the large building in front of him.

GYM.

"I guess this is where I get one of those badge things huh?" the young trainer wondered aloud as he stared at the building. Merely shrugging at his own question however, the boy frowned as he fastened his multi coloured backpack before walking toward the gym. And yet it was when he reached the digital blue coloured doors did he widen his eyes.

A grinning Ross walked out of the architecture, spinning a Poké ball 'round his left hand expertly.

Steven blinked. "Ross?" he asked. The said Pokémon trainer gave a blink himself before opening his eyes and looking at his distraction before frowning.

"What do you want?" the older boy demanded quickly, narrowing his eyes.

Steven cringed. "Uh,"

"Spit it out before I set my team on you,"

"Um." the inexperienced trainer mumbled as he racked his brain, and widened his eyes again as his aimless search came across the sign next to the gym.

'_Pewter Gym's Brock – The Rock Solid Pokémon Trainer!'_

"Did you just beat Brock?" he shot back quickly, almost wincing now. Ross merely raised a brown eyebrow before closing his eyes once again, as if he had grown bored looking at the boy. He said nothing however and brought out a small grey coloured stone that shined in the light. "That's a badge?" Steven asked staring at the little apparatus with curious eyes that of a five year old, his gloved hand reaching up to touch the said badge.

Albeit Ross grunted as he yanked the supposed badge back, pocketing it into his green jacket immediately.

"For my hands only. Urchin," Ross replied, grinning as he did so.

Steven blinked at the older boy's insult before scowling, realising the statement he had just made. "Hey! I'm not an urchin!"

Ross smirked. "Yeah whatever." he said. "Now get out of my way. I have the Cascade Badge to take," the boy added as he pushed past the younger trainer, shutting his eyes again. Steven merely stared after him, unable to think of any insult to the supposedly expert trainer and so instead:

"I'll catch up to you one day you know!" he called after the smirking trainer. All he received however was a chuckle and a raise of the boy's left hand as he walked off, obviously heading for Route three. Narrowing his eyes and clenching his teeth, Steven let out an angry grunt before whipping 'round and sprinting into the open gym.

--

The inside of the Pewter gym was not what one would call…

Encouraging.

But Steven carried on nevertheless. His former friend's arrogance burned within his mind.

"Who goes there?" a voice suddenly called through the pitch black. It was only now that Steven wished he had a torch or something with a little light.

Oh ho ho.

"Uh. A challenger!" he replied, one hand curved around his mouth to amplify his response. Silence. "Appears!" he added. He had no idea where he had the words from but they lighted in his head fiercer than any fire. A few agonising eventless seconds passed between the two and eventually sudden light flashed in the boy's eyes. "Agh!" he exclaimed, his arms shooting up to protect his eyes from the sudden attack on his sight. Taking a few more seconds to grow used to the sudden change in lighting, Steven slowly but surely lowered his arms, his eyes still narrowed not in suspicion but in fear of another sudden change in the gym's lighting.

"A challenger?" the voice called again. Steven blinked as his eyes unconsciously locked on the only other living being currently in the building. A frowning young man glared at the boy as he sat cross-legged on the rocky platform just a few steps away. However Steven made a mental note to ask the apparent gym leader about his closed eyes… "Very well. You're a rookie trainer aren't you? Just starting out?" he asked, standing up with his apparently usual frown set on his face.

"I'm no rookie!"

The dark brown haired gym leader kept his eyes narrowed _(or closed even)_ on his challenger as he stood. "From Pallet town are you?" he questioned. Steven's scowl left him immediately, in place of a blinking frown.

"Well yeah but-"

"Then you're most likely a rookie," the aptly named Brock grinned back, not even allowing his supposed opponent to finish. Steven could only growl as lowly as he could, clenching his white knuckled fists in frustration.

"I'll show you rookie!" he shot back immediately, taking out a Poké ball and hurtling it at the older male in front of him. The gym leader waited and stared, his hands limp at his sides as he watched the sphere open up, revealing his opponent.

To be a purple coloured Nidoran.

lol wut

Brock's expression creased, raising an eyebrow. "A Nidoran?" he asked. "You do know this is a rock type Pokémon based gym don't you kid?" the young man further questioned, looking over the narrow eyed poison type. Steven didn't reply vocally however and merely grinned at his enemy, setting apart his feet and clenched fists. Brock chuckled. "Well if you want to do this I can't stop you." he said, grinning as he shrugged.

"Wait!" a voice called. Both trainers blinked as a young boy ran onto the lightened field, stopping to catch his breath. "Can I see your Trainer Card please?" he asked as he opened a hand, directing his question at the blinking Steven. Staring at the boy at his side confusingly he blinked again. And widened his eyes as he realised what the boy was after.

Smiling he dug into his jacket and handed the young boy his laminated Trainer Card. The boy took a few seconds before handing it back, also smiling.

"Thanks. Have a good one!" he called, running off the field as he waved at the two.

"Well now that that's out of the way." Brock began as he unfolded his arms and took out a Poké ball from his belt. "Let's begin." he grinned and with that final sentence, the older male threw a Poké ball ahead of him, and as the sphere opened up to reveal a literal frowning rock, levitating just a few steps away. Steven grinned and pulled his hand back to order his Nidoran and yet…

The ground began shaking.

Violently.

Widening his eyes and letting out a surprised gasp, the young boy attempted to brace himself by grabbing onto the rocky mountains that opened up beneath his feet. However he managed to botch even that up for he grabbed both ends of the splitting maze.

"Ach!" the boy exclaimed as he was being slowly stretched, his teeth grit and his eyes darting from both sides. Brock blinked _(or so we THINK! =O)_ as he watched the young boy gasp and whine in growing terror, the floor opening up into a large maze below him.

"Let go!" he called and with a chuckle the young gym leader leapt into the now opened maze beneath him, grinning as he did so. Steven looked up at the brown haired man with a blink before doing just as he said almost instantly, however he half regretted his sudden action without alarm or thought.

And he plummeted down to the rocky ground that awaited him.

"What is this?" Steven called as he looked up with an angry expression on his face. Around him were countless walls and few openings. However as if to answer the young boy's question a small gift box raised out from the ground beneath him, earning only a blink from him and he exchanged a shrug with his Nidoran before carefully opening the pink and white coloured present. And then both he and the poison type Pokémon let out a bloodcurdling scream in pure terror as a man's face burst out of the box, his face contorted into a wide open mouthed grin.

"THIS IS SPARTA!" the man's face bellowed suddenly, adding to the two's fear however after a few more seconds they calmed down and inspected the head. It was average sized and carried a bushy dark brown moustache that linked with a beard. Coupled with the short hair and the large open mouth, Steven couldn't tell whether it looked either frightening or simply just humorous.

"Listen up rookie!" a voice suddenly interrupted. Steven and his Nidoran both blinked off their sudden shock and looked above them to the source, only to find a frowning folded armed Brock staring back at him double his normal size. Of course after realising the reason for this was that Brock was appearing on a large screen that was implanted inside the Gym. He chuckled to himself and shook his head before looking back. Brock only raised an eyebrow however continued nevertheless. "This is Pewter Gym's challenge. The rocky maze," he said. Steven blinked.

"Rocky maze?" he wondered aloud.

"The objective of this game is to move through the maze with your Pokémon of choice and reach the centre where the Boulder Badge lies. Fend off any enemies you may encounter but do it quickly." the brown haired Gym trainer began as he brought out a small clock. "You have a time limit to this game," he said with a small grin. Steven's eyes widened as he exchanged a cringe with his Nidoran however he then blinked and pouted as he realised something else.

"Hey wait!" he called and the Gym Leader raised another eyebrow. "Weren't we supposed to battle? You know? Mano-a-mano?" the young man smiled. Brock only frowned in response however sighed and continued his explanation anew.

"We will." he said. Steven grinned and clenched his right fist. "If we meet in the maze." he added with a grin, placing one of his hands on his hips. The Pallet trainer's face then fell. "You must reach the Boulder Badge either before time runs out or before I reach it." the older young man said, earning a wide-eyed look from his opponent in response. "Ready? Begin!" he finished and clicked a button on the clock starting the timer before he ran off out of sight. Steven cringed and squeaked loudly.

"Yagh!" he exclaimed and in pure panicked haste the young trainer quickly scooped his blinking Nidoran in both arms and ran off. "I hate races!" he moaned, frowning as he ran 'round many corners and entrances however swiftly halted his run at a dead end. "Hell!" he exclaimed loudly, sweat cascading down his brow as he ran in place, eyes darting here and there. The Nidoran in his possession gave a sigh and with drooped eyes it leaped out of its trainer's hold and landed daintily.

"Ni!" it exclaimed, pointing its horn behind it, earning a blink from the boy before he grinned and nodded.

"Got it! You lead!" he grinned before running ahead to follow the scampering little monster. He huffed as he weaved through corners, his feet pounding harder and harder every time he turned. _"How is it so damn quick anyway?!" _he thought to himself furiously as he scowled down at his nimble Pokémon in question albeit he widened his eyes and grit his teeth together as the said poison type he was staring at abruptly stopped its quick march, almost eliciting its trainer to fall in sudden surprise. "Why have you-" he began angrily with another fresh scowl on his face however blinked again as he looked up to find the answer. His little Nidoran stuck fast in its ground as it glared and growled at the floating rock with hands above it. Wait.

A _floating rock_ with _hands?_

"Dude! Geo!" the rock exclaimed as it grinned at the glaring Nidoran, punching both its arms together in a show of force.

"_A dudegeo?"_ Steven blinked as he stared at the said monster in bewilderment. "What the hell is a dudegeo?"

"That's 'Geodude' Einstein," a voice suddenly interrupted, breaking the blinking trainer's stare. And then – like his Pokémon before him – he growled and glared at the owner of the voice.

"Brock." he muttered before he suddenly gained a grin on his face and began laughing loudly. So loudly that even his Nidoran turned and stared at him strangely. "I heard you guys were meant to be like way tougher than any trainer I've faced so far," he stated, folding his arms. Brock raised a brown eyebrow at him but grinned himself.

"Sound advice if you ask me," he replied.

"Hah! Hardly!" the young boy laughed. "I mean even _if_ somehow my Nidoran caves – which I doubt highly by the way – I'd _still_ kick your ass with my Squirtle." he finished with an 'in-your-face' grin. Brock only raised an eyebrow before chuckling lowly. Steven blinked. "What's so funny?" he asked, gaining a slight scowl on his face.

"It's painfully obvious that you're a rookie kid. But hell sure I'll bite. Come at me with everything you have," he challenged with an amused smile, seemingly staring at him. Though Steven couldn't be too sure with those eyes of his… Regardless however the Pallet trainer growled angrily.

"Fine! Don't say I didnae warn ye!" he shot back gruffly as he yanked out another Poké ball and threw it out, a blinking Squirtle now standing before him. Brock's eyes widened _(LOL PLOT HOLE)_ at the sight of his new enemy. "Nidoran! Double Kick that Geodude! Squirtle you go for a Water Gun for good measure!" their master ordered with a scowl on his face as he pointed at the said enemy. The two Pokémon stared at its master with perfectly symmetrical simultaneous blinks together. "What are you doing just watching me? Do what I said!" the heated up trainer exclaimed suddenly, earning abrupt frightened looks from the little monsters albeit they agreed with a nod nevertheless. Brock groaned lowly as he awaited the oncoming attacks.

The Nidoran let out a small battle cry before leaping off of its position and spinning 'round so its rear faced the Geodude's front. The rock and ground type grinned confidently as it quickly hovered to its left, successfully evading the poison type's fighting attack however it widened its eyes to dinner plates and screamed out in sudden pain as water began to blast across its face. Steven smirked and brought his right index finger across and under his nose confidently.

Brock frowned, almost scowled as his Geodude took less than even two seconds of the supereffective water attack before plummeting to the ground with crossed out eyes.

"Too easy," the Pallet bound trainer remarked in confidence. However the young boy's Squirtle and Nidoran both exchanged wary and dubious looks in contrast to their trainer's grinning.

The Pewter Gym Leader sighed and called back his fainted Pokémon with a small scowl on his face before he looked up at his opponent with a small smile. "In all my years as a Gym Leader I never thought to find someone so willing to break the league rules like that in order to win." he admitted with a strange smile, earning first a blink from the Pallet trainer before he replaced it with a proud grin. The Squirtle and Nidoran looked up at their trainer with a single eyebrow raised. "Come on. Where are you really from?" the brown haired squinty eyed young man questioned, now frowning as he folded his arms at the young boy. "Orre? That would explain a lot," he remarked with a grin. Steven only blinked in confusion.

"Huh?" he only asked. Brock sneered.

"Forget it. It doesn't matter whether you use two Pokémon or not." he grinned before taking out another Poké ball. Steven laughed a little and grinned all the same as he affixed another stance. "Because with this you lose kid!" the brown haired young man grinned as he threw the next sphere out, showing a dazzling bright light before it formed into another rock creature.

And Steven widened his eyes when he saw it.

A large snake-like rock Pokémon _(Steven presumed it was anyway and not some nightmarish monster instead) _towered over the wide-eyed trainer and his two Pokémon, narrowing its eyes. "Rrroooooa!" the monster roared and Steven and his Pokémon all had to stand their ground to avoid being pushed back by the rock and ground type's roar alone.

"What in the good name of God is it that?!" Steven managed through the screaming and he grit his teeth together before quickly yanking out his Pokédex _(albeit carefully)_ and pushed the buttons on the apparatus as quickly as he could.

_#95 Onix. Classification – Rock Snake Pokémon._

_This Pokémon burrows through the ground at max speed of fifty miles per hour all the while feeding on large boulders. _

"FIFTY MILES?!" Steven exclaimed, his eyes bugging out at the Pokédex entry in front of him and his head immediately shot up to blink at the said rock type which as if in reply to his amazement simply stared and Steven _swore_ he thought the large Pokémon was grinning at him.

Brock grinned and chuckled. "Onix take 'em out." he ordered calmly enough, his arms still folded. And with that the rock and ground dual type roared loud and proud before it suddenly dove at the startled and frozen Nidoran.

"N-Nido-" Steven began as he reached for the said poison type however the young man was quickly interrupted by the unexpected Onix's agility and it roared loudly as it crashed into the spot where Nidoran once stood. "Hell!" he exclaimed in anger as he brought up his arms to block the dust and flying rocks. He turned to his starter Squirtle who in turn was simply staring at the feat of strength with widened eyes, its stubby little legs shaking. Steven growled. "Squirtle!" he suddenly exclaimed. The water type blinked once before turning to its trainer with a wary frown. "Are you telling me you're afraid of that?!" he shouted over the loud noise with a scowl on his face, staring the Squirtle in its red ruby eyes as he pointed over at their opponent. The Squirtle then directed its eyesight to the Gym's _(usually)_ immaculate floor. "I don't believe this!" the boy exclaimed again, scowling down at the guilty expressed turtle. He grumbled lowly before deciding to turn to the battle at hand. And widened his eyes when he did. His Nidoran was no-where to be seen. His head darted 'round the Gym's labyrinth before he stopped abruptly.

The small poison type lay next to the wall behind its trainer, covered in dirt and bruises.

"Agh! Perfect!" Steven exclaimed as he grit his teeth, gripping both sides of his head in growing panic.

"One down Onix!" the calm as cucumber Gym Leader called after his Pokémon, grinning confidently as he did so.

"Rrgh! Fine!" the flustered Pallet trainer blurted out, glowering at the knocked out Nidoran before returning it to its portable prison. "Squirtle you're all I have left! Take that thing down!" he snapped, swiftly turning his head 'round to the blinking turtle Pokémon. It looked from its trainer and to its enemy warily before turning back to its master with an unconvinced and almost frightened expression on its face. "What's the problem?! You're a water type! You can _murder_ that thing, I know you can!" he barked, swiping his right hand horizontally angrily, as if for effect.

"S-Squir," the water type managed out with a sniff and tears beginning to fall from the sides of its eyes, its small voice shaking at ends as it shook. Steven blinked and then sighed, face palming as he realised the problem.

Brock's expression softened as he looked down at the now crying Pokémon before he looked up at the silently angered trainer. "Will you concede?" he asked loudly enough, his voice reverberating. His Onix stood by next to him faithfully, staring with a frown. Steven's eyes darted over to his.

"No!" he shot back, giving the frowning Gym Leader a mere black look before turning to his Squirtle once again. "Squirtle." he began again this time in a quieter voice than last, albeit his scowl still remained on his face. "You'll wipe your eyes of those tears, turn around and take that Onix down in a single shot of your water gun." he stated simply, pointing over at the said rock and ground Pokémon. The Squirtle blinked through its tears and Brock watched with growing curiosity as he raised an eyebrow. "Hurry. Or there will be absolutely _nothing_ left for you. Do you understand?" he warned slowly and quietly. The Squirtle winced at its trainer's expression before turning to the staring Onix and finally nodding, sniffing as it did so. "Good." Steven murmured with a frown before he went into another battle stance, narrowing his eyes at the blinking Brock and neutral expressed Onix. "Now go!" the trainer ordered thusly with a another one of his many points of his fingers. And with that the Squirtle nodded with a shaky repeat of its name before rushing toward the Pokémon as quick as its little legs would carry it, all the while seemingly charging water up in its mouth.

Brock sighed and shook his head in presumable disappointment before scowling up at his narrow eyed opponent. "Onix dive." he quickly said with a frown of his own and the Pokémon roared in response before plummeting down into the ground as it had did beforehand. Steven widened his eyes and brought up his arms to shield himself from the oncoming dust barrage, his Pokémon soon following having halted from its charged attack prematurely. Soon however the dust cleared and all was silent. Onix was no-where to be found.

"Where's your Onix?!" Steven barked angrily. Brock only glared at the young boy back. Realising the Pewter Gym Leader simply wouldn't _tell_ him where the rock and ground type was hidden he growled and began searching the floor with a slow and careful tempo.

_Proom!_

Steven gasped and his blue eyes darted over to the left. Or did it come from the right? No he was sure it was left.

_Druu!_

He gasped again and his head shot 'round to his rear. Was it possible…?

And then silence.

He widened his eyes before turning his head back around slowly. Brock continued his glare at him and his Squirtle only stared at him with an unsure frown on its face, awaiting its next orders. However another low noise alerted him instantly. "Squirtle it's under you!" he cried out as soon as he could, a horror filled expression on his face.

"Onix now!" Brock's voice suddenly exclaimed and on cue the ground under the wide eyed Squirtle exploded suddenly and out flew a roaring Onix, successfully catching the surprised Squirtle off guard. The tiny turtle Pokémon yelled its name as loud as its lungs would allow and it crashed against one of the maze's walls. Steven exclaimed both in surprise of his own and anger before he ran toward his now unconscious and fallen Pokémon.

"Squirtle! Squirtle get up!" the boy shouted at the fainted monster as he shook its small body to rouse the creature however it was to no avail. The little blue turtle didn't even raise its head to look up at its trainer, rather it lied still as it was shaken. Brock's expression softened again and he sighed as he stared, lowering his folded arms.

"I'm sorry for doing that to your Pokémon." the Gym Leader apologised, a frown on his face as he walked toward the boy and the fainted turtle. "But you _did_ break the League rules with the whole two on one thing you know." he finished with a smile, kneeling next to the two. Steven only continued attempting to awake his fainted Pokémon all in vain. Brock frowned but regained his smile. "Here. For your Squirtle 'till you can get it to a Pokémon Centre." he offered with a warm smile, taking out a purple coloured spray-like container from his pocket. Steven's glare quickly reached the brown haired Leader and he slapped the container away from the surprised young man's hand, clattering to the ground with a clunk. The Onix narrowed its eyes and moved closer to the two, clearly concerned. "What's- What's the matter?" Brock asked with a confused expression etched on his face, in between blinks.

"I don't need your pity," the trainer shot back lowly, a narrow eyed glare on his face. Satisfied with his taken aback expression the Pallet town trainer turned his attention back to the knocked out water type. He grunted as he picked up the small turtle, cradling the Pokémon in his arms as if it were a baby before turning and heading for the quickest exit out the Gym's long labyrinth. Brock narrowed his eyes _(OR DID HE? XD) _at the red capped boy and raised himself silently.

"You know you should be more lenient with your Pokémon kid." the young man called after him with a frown on his face. As his former opponent finally disappeared from further sight the Pewter Leader sighed and turned, recalling his Pokémon with a smile and walking off back the way he came.

--

"Don't worry sir your Nidoran and Squirtle will be fully recovered by tomorrow morning," Pewter City's Nurse smiled at the young boy from her desk as she took the two Poké balls he handed through a grey coloured tray.

"Yeah okay then," Steven replied monotonously as he stared down at the desk's clean surface. The Nurse blinked at him and exchanged an unsure shrug with the blinking Chansey that stood next to her however smiled nevertheless.

"You're welcome to stay tonight if you have no-where else to go." she chirped cheerily. "We just ask that you return from any errands you have by eleven o'clock. Curfew time. You understand," she chuckled. Steven blinked his half closed eyes once and turned to the clock behind him. It was a Meowth brand clock, one of its arms resting on the ten symbol and the other longer one on the twelve one as its eyes and tail both swung side to side in perfect synchronisation with its ticks and tocks.

"Yeah no bother on that." he only replied with a sigh, turning back 'round though not actually looking at the confused receptionist. However she smiled nevertheless and satisfied she got the message across she turned and handed the grey tray over to a smiling Chansey. Steven gave the two Poké balls on the tray one last lingering look before turning and heading for the Centre's exit, placing his hands into his jacket's pockets. He wanted some fresh air to clear his head and to ponder over what to do next. Pewter's next exit, route three ought to be an ideal choice he decided.

As he trudged on through the lifeless city, _(bar the odd passer by)_ his thoughts almost forced themselves to return to his last battle. Though one could hardly call what he had participated in a 'battle'. He chuckled a little in his own humour however he _had_ lost after all. He regained his frown.

"_Let's not forget you went against the official Pokémon League rules Stefano." _

He outwardly cringed as his father's imaginary voice reached his ears.

"_Yes your father's right Steven. We've told you time and again that if you started all of this Pogeymanz thing training nonsense you'll only end up embarrassing us and yourself," _

The young trainer groaned, his frown turning shaky. "But I want to prove," he began uncertainly, his expression growing softer as he walked.

"_Prove what? That you can take care of yourself?" _

His father. Steven only nodded wordlessly and he could almost _hear_ them laughing.

"_Steven dear we've gone through this. You don't have the necessary skills to fend for yourself. And if _you_ don't have them then you shouldn't be training any of those animal things," _

Steven's soft frown changed to a sharp scowl as he registered the last voice as his mother. "I do have them, I just haven't learnt them yet that's all!" he suddenly exclaimed angrily.

"_Birthday card tripe. Remember that time we had to work overtime at the Viridian Pokémon Market and left you in charge of the house for a couple of hours?" _

His father this time. Steven cringed again as that particular and rather ugly memory resurfaced.

"_You see Steven? We're only looking to protect you," _

"I don't need it," Steven muttered through grit teeth as he scowled. Another laugh in the back of his head.

"_Of course you do. Look at ye, ye're an egomaniacal mess and you're not even capable of lookin' after a houseplant," _

His father.

"I said I don't need your help!" the young Pallet trainer shouted out suddenly and angrily, balling up his fists as he shut his eyes tightly.

"You don't need whose help?"

Steven's eyes bugged back open wide and his scowl changed to another frown. His eyes darted to his left at the source of the voice and then he blinked. A red haired girl, her hair in a side ponytail stared at him strangely as she clutched a fishing rod in her hands. She wore a yellow vest with red braces, pulled up blue jeans and simple red trainers.

"Uh." he began as he stared back before blinking once. "No-one's." he finished with a nervous laugh. He blinked again however as he registered the small pond next to him. "Bloody hell am I still on route three?" he muttered to himself as he looked around himself warily.

"Yeah you're still on route three." the girl chuckled with a smile. "What are you doing out here so late at night?" she asked amiably.

"Eh I just needed some time to think to myself really," he admitted with a frown, rubbing the back of his head as did so. The red headed girl laughed a little.

"I'll bet with the way you were talking," she chuckled, grinning at him.

"It's rude to eavesdrop you know," Steven shot back with a small pout, folding his arms.

The girl only raised one of her fingers up to her chin as she looked up. "Oopsy daisy," she said in a mock gesture. The two laughed simultaneously. A new smile on his face, Steven had a quick look at the fishing pond before walking over and sitting next to the girl.

"I'm Daisy," the girl offered her hand with a light smile. Steven tore his gaze away from the small pond next to him and smiled in response, shaking her hand.

"Steven." he chuckled and he looked back down at the pond again. "So you catch anything yet?" he asked, nodding to the pond and fishing rod. Daisy seemed to blink at him before grimacing slightly and raising a net up at him. He blinked. It was full of strange looking fish. "Those are Magikarp right?" he asked with a single blink, pointing at the still lying fish Pokémon. She nodded and with a small scowl put the net back down.

"Yeah I've been at this for hours. Lost count how many actually," she chuckled as she stared down at the small pond.

"Why?" he only asked. She turned to him with a confused blink before smiling uncertainly.

"Just really bored I guess." she said. His expression pursed in an unconvinced look however he shrugged nonetheless. "So what brings you to Pewter then? Or do you live here?" she asked with another smile. Steven chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"No I'm just passing through from Pallet really," he replied with a small smile of his own, resting his arms on his raised knees as he did.

"You're a trainer right?" she shot back with a grin, pointing at him though more at his belt and backpack. He blinked and took a swift look at himself before looking back up with a small grin of his own.

"What's with the third degree?" he asked cheerily enough. Daisy chuckled.

"Sorry," she apologised with a smile.

"Aye I'm a trainer." he replied anyway. "Dunno if I'm any good yet though," he added with a murmur his smile changing to a frown.

Daisy gave her own frown at him. "You just challenged Brock and got beat right?" she asked. Steven only smiled very lightly and raised both his eyebrows once. She chuckled. "If I had a Poké dollar for every newbie that got beaten on their first try,"

"Okay so I got beat." he replied as he scowled back at the girl, folding his arms. "If I had a Charmander instead it would've been a different story," he muttered more to himself as he stared into the dark pool in front of him.

"Wait. So you used a…?" Daisy began with a raise of her reddish eyebrow. Steven turned with a blink before scowling again.

"A Squirtle," he mumbled distastefully.

Silence.

And then she laughed. Steven turned to her with an incredulous look on his face, blinking.

"You used a water type against dual rock and ground types and _still_ lost?" she continued, holding her sides as she did so. "I've heard of some bad screw ups but man." she finished, wiping at her eyes however she blinked again to lock eyes with the confused Steven. "What are you telling me you can't see the obvious advantage you had over Brock's Pokémon?" she asked raising an eyebrow. Steven only shrugged unconvincingly. "Oh God you really are clueless about it aren't you?" she frowned.

He turned his head a little to his right, though still staring at her. "You don't have to be a jerk about it," he said with a mixture of a pout and scowl on his face.

"Sorry. Well hey everyone starts somewhere right?" she chuckled. "So how did the battle go anyway?" she asked. Steven groaned and kicked a small pebble into the pond. "You know it's best to admit your failure first hand. _Then_ you can take it head on and win next time," she offered with another smile in mind. Steven grimaced.

"_In all my years as a Gym Leader I never thought to find someone so willing to break the league rules like that in order to win."_

He didn't want to mention _that_ little tidbit.

"Well?" she probed again, raising an orange eyebrow as she leaned her head in to the frowning young boy's face.

"Uh." he began as he rubbed the back of his head. She stared with a suspicious expression on her face. He sighed and shut his eyes. "I used two Pokémon when Brock used only one," he spoke very quickly, averting eyesight. She eyed him with a blink.

"Sorry?"

"I used too many Pokémon okay?!" he shouted back, swivelling his head back 'round to glare at her. Taken aback she widened her eyes, frowning.

"You… Broke the league rules?" she questioned quietly. Steven only looked back down at the pond and nodded wordlessly. She whistled in what sounded like amazement. "You're lucky he didn't report you to the Indigo Conference in Viridian," she said with a wary frown on her face. Steven scowled at her.

"What would you know about it?" he questioned with an annoyed snap. She blinked.

"Well you know, I got my knowledge from Gym battles and conversations with the leaders," she replied with a simple frown. Steven raised an auburn eyebrow.

"Oh. Sorry," he mumbled an apology, lowering his head once again. Something about the way she spoke didn't add up to the young boy however like every other time he felt this strange feeling he shrugged it off.

"That's okay." she chuckled jollily. "So you thinking of retaking the challenge again?" the red head asked, smiling as she did so.

Give up or just go home? That was the choice that had presented itself in front of him. Right now he felt an incredible urge just to leave both his Pokémon at the centre and head back home to Pallet. But if he did…

"_Well you made a good run at it Mr. 'Pokémon Master' but your skills just weren't up to par!" _

He growled as Oak's laughter resounded in his head. Daisy blinked at his growling and then widened her eyes in surprise as he suddenly swivelled his head 'round to look at her.

"Yeah. And I'm gonna kick his ass while I'm at it," he added with a frown as he raised himself scowling over at the small pond he seemed to love looking at.

"You know." Daisy's voice started. Steven blinked and turned to his new companion who in turn stood up along with him and cleaned off the dirt from her jeans. "I could help you if you want. I have lots of water Pokémon with me," she smiled. Steven frowned and looked away for a few seconds. He seriously considered that possibility. It'd certainly be a lot _faster_ than training his own Nidoran to combat that gigantic monstrosity known as Onix. He thought of using his Squirtle again but dismissed it as soon as it entered his thoughts.

"No. But if you could help me train that'd be awesome." he asked with his own small smile, shaking his fist as if for effect. "You know 'cause I'll be needing a sparring partner and all," he chuckled, placing a hand on his hip as he did so. However he blinked and frowned as he registered the young girl's surprise.

"Seriously? You… Want me to train with you?" she asked in a low whisper. Steven blinked and stared.

"Uh. Sure of course." he laughed a little, rubbing the back of his head nervously as he did so. "Don't tell me you don't want to bother?" he asked, his face falling in disappointment as he spoke.

"Oh! No, no of course not!" the girl protested waving his question off with a laugh of her own. "It's just… No-one's ever wanted to hang around with me let alone battle me," she admitted with a frown this time. Steven smiled at first but cocked his head to the side in curiosity.

"Why's that?" he asked with a childish blink in his eyes.

"Well." she began, rubbing the side of her right arm as she averted his eyesight. She sighed before finally deciding to look up at him. "I'm a jinx,"

Steven only stared. "Wha?" Daisy sighed again and looked away once more.

"Every time I travel close to someone natural disasters just seem to happen," she explained just a little too quickly.

_More_ silence.

And then Steven burst out laughing. Daisy's face changed to a shade of red though thankfully for her it couldn't be seen due to the night itself.

"You're jokin'!" he laughed, clutching his sides as he did so.

"No! And if you keep that up I'll water log you!" she threatened, pointing a Poké ball at him hotly. He slowed his blaring laughter to small chuckles and warded the girl off with a wave of his hand.

"Okay, okay! Sorry but man that's so nearly unbelievable it was funny." he smiled. She drooped her eyes at him in an annoyed expression. "Oh no don't get me wrong I still uh. Believe you. It's just _hard to_ that's all," he added as he scratched the back of his head, still smiling as he did so. Daisy only raised an eyebrow.

"So then… How do you know if I _am_ telling the truth?" she asked, moving her head to the side as she stared at him strangely. "Not that I'm _not_ telling lies of course," she added in with another narrow eyed look. Steven chuckled jollily.

"Dunno man. I just can," he finished with a simple smile and shrug. Daisy only gave a giggle at the young boy's simple methods.

"So." she began with a smile. "Getting pretty late huh?" the girl claimed. Steven blinked at her before he yelled in sudden surprise. "W-What is it?" Daisy asked, blinking. However he let out a sigh of relief as he took a quick look at his watch.

"Thought it was past curfew time at the Pewter centre," he smiled, showing her the watch. It read at ten thirty. She nodded with a frown.

"You staying at the Pokémon Centre then?" she asked, her hands reaching under her elbows as if to protect herself against the cold.

"Well yeah. I don't have anywhere else to go and it means I can pick up my Nidoran early," he admitted with another rub of the back of his head. Daisy raised a red eyebrow at him.

"And your Squirtle?" she asked. He blinked at her before drooping his eyes in remembrance.

"Yeah Squirtle," he only said. She looked at him strangely but shrugged it off nonetheless.

"You know if they're full up at the Pewter centre?" the girl asked with a hopeful air in her voice. Steven blinked again but nodded.

"Nah they should be fine for more. You might as well join me, I'm just heading back anyway," the Pallet trainer smiled as he affixed his backpack.

"Thank God. I was getting sick of roughin' it in the ol' woods," she chuckled to herself. Steven shared a roguish laugh.

"Yeah it sucks," he agreed, grinning as they walked on back to Pewter.

"So." Daisy began again with another smile. "Whaddya say we start that training tomorrow morning?" she offered. Steven looked over with a frown and blink before grinning again.

"It's a deal." he nodded, earning a satisfied smile from the girl and he turned his gaze over to the now empty Pewter Gym. _"You're goin' down next time Brocko my man."_ He thought with a grin though this one was a little more wicked than his last and he began to laugh lightly however before he knew it that laughter turned to a maniacal guffaw. He finished his laughter to find his new companion staring at him with a raise of her eyebrow. "Uh." he began, his eyes a little wide as he stared back. "Just a little déjà vu." the boy half grinned at her, earning a suppressed giggle. Steven turned his vision back to its original place. _"Note to self. Laugh only in head." _

--

A/N: Bloody hell that's gotta be the longest Pokémon chapter I've given so far. That said though I AM in the ol' mood what with Heart Gold and Soul Silver being announced for DS. WOO! YES! Ahem.

On a side note it seems I have my own sound effects. Awesome. Hoo, hoo. Well in any case that's me for the ol' rambling so as always 'till next time. And keep that Poké ball rollin'! Bwahahahaha!

XD


	5. Assaults and a Boulder Badge

**Chapter 5: Assaults and a Boulder Badge**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. If I did things would be sorted for me. Har, har.**

_A/N: Omg a single review. =O More than I thought I'd have anyway. XD_

_**The Devil Deity**__: IN HELL! Fucking Sparta. XD =O YOU RACIST etc. Yeah I should've done that for added lolz. (Sniff) =( Ho well. But in any case cheers for the review man I really appreciate it and whatnot. Starting to count my blessings as to how far I've gotten by now even. XD Oh well, hope you enjoy the ol' chapter friend. _

THIS! IS!

_A fic. =D HA, HA, HA! XD_

_--_

"Quickly Poliwag, Water Gun!"

"Now Nidoran you know what to do!"

Daisy frowned as she watched her Pokémon's water gun attack miss and the enemy Nidoran vanish into the ground below her, spraying rock here and there. She looked up at her opponent with a raised red eyebrow and received only a confident smirk in reply.

"What are you doing?" she questioned carefully. Steven only grinned and pointed down at her feet. She blinked and looked down at the bulge in the ground below her.

Wait _what?_

She shrieked loudly and widened her eyes systematically as the bulge finally exploded, a purple Nidoran letting out a single grunt of effort as it struck the surprised Poliwag with its small horn before it back flipped and landed on the ground next to its trainer's feet athletically.

"And it's down for the count!" Steven laughed, punching into the air in a rather childish fit of victory. Daisy sighed and she smiled as she took the limping form of the Poliwag in her arms, its red crystal bleeping continuously.

"You gave a good run at it Poliwag. I'm proud." she smiled down at the tadpole creature before raising its Poké ball sphere and recalled it, the water type disappearing into red energy.

"Well we got the Dig move on now so Brock can't throw _that_ at us again," Steven grinned at his Nidoran who nodded enthusiastically.

"Dig huh? I should've known." Daisy chuckled as she stood up. "You know that'll help you against his Onix. It's weak to ground type moves," she stated with a raise of her finger. Both Steven and his Nidoran blinked at her however before laughing and exchanging grins once again.

"Double score!" the young boy exclaimed, giving the smiling poison type a thumbs up. Daisy chuckled lightly at the boy.

"Well now that we've finished your Nidoran and Rattata wanna get to work on your Squirtle?" the girl smiled as she pulled out another Poké ball. Steven blinked from his inward ego to turn to the red head before he realised her question and promptly lowered his eyesight.

"Nah I think it's strong enough," he replied simply. Daisy frowned at him and lowered the sphere in her hand before returning it to her small bag.

"Well if you say so," she conceded, hoisting back up the red bag to her shoulder.

"All right! Ownage time!" the young boy suddenly grinned down at his enthusiastic Nidoran below him.

"Wait don't you wanna go have a look at the Pewter museum before you go challenging Brock? It might help," Daisy chuckled at the pepped up Pallet pusillanimous trainer. Steven only blinked at her once before folding his arms and smirking at her again.

"You go if you want but I got a date with destiny." the boy grinned confidently as he raised a folded arm to clench a fist at her. "Besides. I owe that piece of ship," he added, this time with a frown in place of his grin, lowering his arms.

Daisy frowned at him. "Well do you wanna meet up later then after you've finished your challenge?" she tried again with a small smile. She didn't want to even mention the fact he might and probably will lose again to the Pewter Gym Leader. Steven exchanged a blink and shrug with his Nidoran before turning to the young girl with another of his oh so annoying grins.

"Well no. You didn't think I'd allowed you to join me in my journey did you?" he shot back, sniggering a little at her. She widened her eyes before scowling.

"So you just use me for your training and then just up and leave me alone, as if we never even met?" she asked with narrowed green eyes. He grinned back at her.

"Well, yeah. You're not sad that you have no friends anymore are you?" the red capped boy asked in a mock turn of his voice and expression. She began to bare her teeth at him. "Baaaw Steve no be friends no more!" he suddenly exclaimed, changing his expression again this time to that of a crying baby.

Oh, ho, ho. XD

"Rrr!" Daisy growled, clenching her small fists together before she reached into a pocket and threw out a Poké ball, aiming for his head. "Jerk!" she snapped before stomping off. Steven widened his eyes and squealed in sudden surprise as the Poké ball smacked against his forehead, sending him sprawling to the ground, more due to the sudden shock. Expecting to be attacked by a Pokémon out of the sphere however, he backed up on his hands and feet immediately gritting his teeth together as he did so.

And the Poké ball was empty.

He sighed in gratified relief however frowned over at the disappearing Daisy in front of him. "Wait I was only doing it for the lolz!" he called with a raise of his left hand as if to halt the girl. However he received no reply of any kind from her. He pursed his expression into a childish pout. "Fine! We don't need your help anyway!" the boy shouted down at the view of her back, scowling as he raised himself. "Come on Nidoran. We don't need a _girl's_ help to beat a Gym Leader." he added with a tone of venom as he glared at the walking Daisy, allowing room for his poison type Pokémon to run up on his shoulder and rest. He turned and began making his way to the gym in question. "Especially one that looks so scrawny she looks like a _guy!_" he suddenly turned again with an angry exclaim down to the girl. Satisfied with the silence he received he grinned and turned back on his walk. "I couldn't be happier with the way _that_ turned out." he smirked. Before another Poké ball abruptly rapped off his head. "AGH GOD DAMMIT!"

The Nidoran winced.

--

Daisy growled a little to herself as she stomped off in search of the Pewter museum, she didn't care that everyone she passed stared at her strangely, she was too angry to bother. Throwing those Poké balls at Steven's head like that felt good but she still felt angry enough to rip the arrogant little idiot in half. She had managed to fool herself that she made a new friend that _wasn't_ an infuriating, using nuisance. The red head sighed however and turned her attention the open museum in front of her.

"Well it ought to be better than spending another day with that little whiner." she sighed to herself before heading into the building. A smile grew on her face as she laid eyes on the museum's inside. Tastefully decorated around the walls with seemingly new paint adorning them, it seemed as if the museum was well looked after.

"Fifty Pokédollars please,"

Daisy blinked out of her examinations and turned to her right. A young woman at a desk next to her, her auburn hair in a neat ponytail smiled up at her.

"Oh!" the red head exclaimed, widening her eyes. "Sorry I was miles away." she chuckled amiably before lowering her small red bag and bringing out a purse. Truth be told the girl thought the price was a little steep but there _was_ probably a good reason for it after all. Taking out a green coloured note with a fifty symbol on it she handed the woman it, earning wide eyed surprise clearly not expecting such an amount in one serving. Daisy looked away from the young woman in a mixed combination of embarrassment and exasperation before smiling back up at her again. "I have a rich family," she explained with another chuckle, rubbing the back of her head as she did so. The young woman reciprocated the chuckle and opened the till before placing in the green note. She took out a small white ticket from a machine next to her and handed the red head the piece of paper.

"Please enjoy the articles we have on display," she smiled.

Daisy nodded with her own smile as she took the white ticket before turning and heading into the museum however was stopped by a rather bulky frowning man. She blinked as he reached down and took the ticket from her hands, halving it into two small ones and finally handed her one of the halves with a nod. She gave a nervous laugh at him before walking off in search of the first article.

"Okay what have we got here?" she murmured, leaning in to the model in a display case in front of her. It was a beautiful crystal coloured sculpture of an Onix however this particular Onix wasn't in its usual dark grey colour. She blinked at it and looked down at the description below it.

_The Crystal Onix_

_This beautiful man made sculpture was created by James Pedeaston after it was said to be spotted in the faraway Sevii Islands. Unfortunately its existence cannot be confirmed._

Daisy raised both her eyebrows in interest as she finished the last line with a hum of approval before turning to the next display cabinet to her left. A large yellow coloured orb sat on a satin cushion in the display box. Daisy looked down at the gold plated description under the orb after a quick examination.

_The Old Amber_

_This marvellous and large piece of sap from a tree in far Kanto is in actuality a Pokémon. Using modern science and cloning technology, Pewter and Cinnabar scientists have been able to resurrect the extinct Pokémon Aerodactyl and with the added discovery of the Dome and Helix fossil the extinct species Omanyte and Kabuto can also both be brought back. _

"Wow." Daisy murmured to herself in amazement before having another look up at the large yellow orb in the case, chuckling as she did so. "You'd never think it'd be possible." she said, smiling a little. Looking 'round however she turned her head to the next article nearest to her, a large case this time with a rather old taken picture _(still in black and white Daisy surmised)_ sat in the middle of the large room. She walked over to it quietly and examined it with hands clasped behind her. The colourless picture depicted a smiling young boy of around her own age she thought, kneeling down in sandy ground next to a long and large fossil, his well toned arm 'round a smiling Onix's neck that sat next to him. She raised a red eyebrow as she noted the young man's spiky hairstyle and obvious shut eyes.

_The Great Discovery_

_Following his family's archaeological traditions, Brock Slate left for the far off lands of Orre at the young age of twelve to go prospecting for oil and fossils in order to save the small city of Pewter which at the time was under danger of being bulldozed for the construction of a dam, courtesy of the Indigo Conference League. However the young Brock returned in time with enough money from both the oil and fossil finds to buy off the Indigo Conference's hold on Pewter, even managing to bring back some samples for Pewter research, and save the city from quite literally, going under. When asked of how he could manage such a feat at such a young age the embarrassed and current Pewter Gym Leader only had this to say:_

'_I only did what I had to, to save the city. It's better now than it was before now that it's independent after all and not relying on the Indigo Conference's funding.'_

"Wow." Daisy smiled as she finished off the last paragraph. "Who'd have thought Brock was an archaeologist?" she chuckled to herself. She imagined her new friend Steven reading the article and giving his own impression.

"_Tch that Brock thinks he's so great. 'Ooh look at me I saved the city from certain destruction worship me now!' Someone ought to kick his self righteous ass and I'll be the one to do it."_

Her smile quickly changed to a scowl. _"Don't think about him. That traitor." _she thought to herself with an angry tone of venom at the end of her thought out self reprimand.

"You're serious?"

"Yeah he's supposed to be out today,"

Daisy blinked out of her own thoughts and turned to her left at the source of the voices. Two young men _(at least she thought they were anyway)_ stood in a corner near the museum's staircase, their backs to her as they spoke as lowly as they could. Though Daisy could decipher their spoken words without much difficulty. The one on the left was dressed in a young boy's clothing that barely even fit him, a striped yellow and black t-shirt, blue shorts, white socks, small red shoes and a large red cap. The one on his right looked almost exactly the same. It looked to Daisy as if they were trying too hard to disguise themselves.

"_Idiots." _she thought to herself and with a roll of her eyes she returned her attention to the picture again, deciding to give it another look before moving to the next article.

"But what if he isn't out?" the first one said.

"Then we'll kill him doofus,"

Daisy's eyes widened but she kept her attention focused on the article.

"K-kill him?"

"Yeah kill him,"

"I don't know…"

"You turnin' yella on me?"

"N-no of course not!"

Daisy narrowed her eyes and stepped to the left a little, keeping her visual attention on the article in the display case.

"Good. You know as well as I do how much the Boss needs those badges,"

"Why _does_ he need them anyway?"

Dead silence.

"Why _should_ we know what he needs them for?"

"Ah… Good point,"

"Okay you're up for this right?"

"Y-yeah,"

"Good. Let's go."

Daisy almost flinched when she felt the two men pass her silently, forcing her attention on the article further. However when she was sure the two men had passed she looked 'round to her right at them and watched the two nod the burly man and young woman before leaving out the door.

"_They were talking about killing someone but who?"_ Daisy thought to herself feverishly, narrowing her eyes at the disappearing men. _"Wait. They mentioned badges." _she thought, her eyes widening before she narrowed her eyes and ran after the disappeared men.

--

Brock hummed a little tune to himself as he rubbed a yellow cloth across the gold plated frame of a large picture, every now and then bringing the cloth down to a bucket of water in his hand. However he blinked as his eyes caught a large stain on the ceiling.

"Onix could you get that one there?" he asked and the rock snake Pokémon in question traced his hand before nodding its large head and raising itself up to the stain, cleaning it off with the small feather duster in its mouth. "Thanks buddy," he smiled at the rock and ground type, earning a grunt and he returned his attention to the picture in front of him.

Before the doors to the Gym burst open, spraying outside light on the two. Brock and his Onix both squinted hard _(XD)_ as they laid their eyes on the intruder and their two small shapes beside them.

"Aaaand today's winner is Steven!" the black shadowed intruder declared, striking a victory pose. His right hand was raised high into the air as his left was at his side clenched into a small fist. The two shapes at his sides began clapping their little hands in reply to the owner of the voice. Brock raised a dark brown eyebrow and sighed before raising himself and putting down both his cloth and bucket.

"Onix. Lights." he stated quickly. The Pokémon only nodded before moving over to the light switch with incredible reach and poking the switch with its nose. Instantly the Gym was flooded in light. The intruder let out a surprised yelp as the lights shone at his eyes and Brock let out a tiny grin as he registered the two small shapes as a frowning Rattata and a wincing Nidoran. The intruder was obviously the red capped kid he had faced and beaten yesterday he thought. "What do you want kid? I'm busy," the spiky haired Gym Leader stated as he folded his arms together.

Steven blinked as he laid eyes on the young man. Apart from his usual attire he wore a long pink coloured apron and a mauve coloured cloth wrapped around his head. He looked manly indeed. Steven suppressed a snort of laughter, his eyes bulging out and Brock rolled his eyes at the boy.

"You just come here to make fun of my apron or what?" the Gym Leader asked briskly, eager to return to his cleaning. The boy blinked thusly and soon regained his usual confident smirk, lowering his Poké balled right hand before enlarging the small sphere.

"Nope. I'm here to grab that Boulder Badge from you Brocko my man," he replied lowly, still smirking as he raised his hand to point the multi coloured sphere at him, eliciting both his Nidoran and Rattata to go into fighter stances, both bending low. Brock only raised a dubious eyebrow, almost laughing at the boy.

"Thought you learned your lesson last time kid, especially with what happened to that little Squirtle of yours." he chuckled at the young boy who in turn scowled back. "Say how is that Squirtle? Is it doing okay or what?" he asked, frowning this time. Steven blinked but scowled again and averted his eyesight for a few seconds.

"Don't really have it with me now so." the Pallet trainer shot back as quick as a cucumber before regaining his smirk and stance. "Okay! You gonna accept my challenge or what?" the young trainer asked with a rhetoric air to his voice, grinning as he did so. Brock sighed. It was already ten minutes to eight and he was hoping to close up the Gym after cleaning without anymore challenges for the day but…

Brock sighed again. "Fine let's make this quick." he conceded, frowning as he took off his apron and cloth, throwing them to the side and bringing out a Poké ball from his green coloured vest. A flying rock like creature came out of the ball and stared at its trainer for its next orders. "Geodude if you could, finish up on the cleaning please," he asked, pointing over to the bucket and cleaning cloth.

"Geo!" the rock Pokémon grinned at him, smashing together its strong fists.

"Great. Thanks." he chuckled, watching the rock and ground type fly off to the bucket with a smile. "Careful with that water!" he called after it, earning a nod in reply. He turned back to the matter at hand with another frown however. "All right you wanna just go straight to the battle and end this quickly?" he asked, placing a hand on his hip as he did so.

Steven smirked back. "Hey whatever works for you," he grinned.

Brock raised another curious eyebrow. Something seemed slightly different about the overconfident young trainer this time he decided. He sighed again however and shrugged, motioning his Onix forward with his index finger. The Pokémon dropped the feather duster to the ground and slithered up to its master loudly, frowning. "I'll use Onix and you can use two Pokémon if you want," he stated monotonously, frowning as he did so.

Steven grinned. "Works for me," he shot back.

"Okay then. Go Onix," he said, little to no enthusiasm as he pointed his Pokémon into the battlefield in front of him. The dual type grunted loudly before moving up to the plate.

"Hah. Just what I thought he'd do." Steven grinned before he looked down at the Rattata on his right. "You know what to do," he smirked, earning a nod from the little rat Pokémon before it scampered up to face the Onix down. Brock rolled his eyes and suppressed a longer sigh this time.

"A_ Rattata?_"

"Shh. You'll see,"

He sighed this time however as he watched the smirking look of his opponent but shrugged it off anyway.

"All right Onix let's wrap this up so I can go home. Go for a Rock Throw." the brown haired Leader ordered with a yawn and the ground and rock dual type let out a single grunt as it began materialising rocks seemingly from out of no where and lobbing them at the small Rattata with its large tail. The little normal type however stayed put, narrowing its eyes and remaining its stance low.

"Okay Rattata dodge that with a Quick Attack!" Steven called with a grin, pointing at the enemy thusly. The Rattata nodded and with an expectant squeak it began to weave in and out of the oncoming boulders and rocks expertly, all the while keeping its ruby eyes set on the frowning Onix in front of it. Finally and soon as well it was within attack range and the small mouse gave another squeak as it head butted the much larger Pokémon square on the chest before back flipping away to safety, seemingly doing little to no harm whatsoever. Brock snorted.

"Come on kid that can't be _all_ of what you're planning," he almost grinned, one of his hands resting on his side.

"Ye got that right mate." Steven smirked back, earning a raised eyebrow from the Leader. "Rattata! You're within range! _Now!_" he cried out suddenly, clenching his fists together. The Rattata narrowed its eyes and with another squeak it rushed forward with nimble speed and sunk its large buck tooth into the Pokémon's stomach area. Brock was about to laugh again.

Before he heard his Onix scream in pain.

"What the-" he exclaimed, his eyes widening as he looked up at the screaming rock and ground type, his hands on far sides of each other.

"Awesome shot!" Steven called, earning a grinning squeak from the Rattata as it quickly recovered from its attack. Brock exchanged a look between both the grinning Steven, the low stance Rattata and his now already tired Onix, quickly managing to put two and two together.

"I don't believe it. Crafty little devil." he chuckled to himself, sharing a smirk with his opponent. "All right Onix go for a Sandstorm." the young man ordered with a growing grin of his own, going into a fighting stance. The strangely beaten up Onix let loose another grunt before shaking the area with narrowed eyes of its own and sure enough, sand began to congregate around the area where the Onix was standing.

"Whoa where in the name is this coming from?" Steven blinked as he looked around the area aimlessly for the source of the sand albeit in vain.

"And that's your first mistake of the day." Brock suddenly grinned and Steven's eyes widened as he gasped in surprise. "Onix grab it with a Bind attack!" the brown haired Gym Leader ordered and just as he had said the rock and ground dual type leaned in and scooped up the wide eyed Rattata into its rocky tail, successfully trapping it within.

"Oh hell!" the young boy squeaked in panic as he clutched both sides of his head, clenching his teeth together as he did so.

"Now finish it with another Rock Throw!" Brock's voice exclaimed again, earning another roar from the creature in question as it began to rain the said rocks down upon the already weakened Rattata. The normal type let out a few more squeaks of pain before it was launched from its position, sprawling to the ground face down. Steven looked over with widened eyes and a gasp. The Rattata's eyes were crossed out.

"Damn." he muttered under his breath before fishing out the Pokémon's sphere and recalling it. "No worries though." he said with a frown as he stared at the large ball in his hands. "Nidoran. It's time," he turned with another grin after turning the Poké ball smaller again. The poison type nodded and with an enthusiastic call of its own name it scampered onto the battlefield in a low stance, much like its predecessor.

"Last call kid. Wanna give up?" Brock called with a grin through the artificial sandstorm his Onix had created.

"Think I'm fine as I am friend," Steven replied with his own grin. Brock chuckled.

"Okay then. Onix you know what to do," he smiled up at the large monster which in turn nodded before moving off into the Sandstorm it had created. Steven turned down to his expectant Nidoran.

"Remember. Stealthy. We got him to use Sandstorm and we can't use this strategy a second time on him. So be careful and use your speed okay? Just as we planned." he reminded quietly, earning an enthused nod from the poison type. "All right, go!" he requested with another grin, pointing into the seemingly vacant sandstorm in front of him and the little Pokémon hopped in as ordered. Brock grit his teeth and groaned as he watched a small silhouette in the storm, bouncing off his Onix with a Double Kick his Onix now and then giving an exclamation of pain as the attack made contact. By now the poor thing's HP was most likely nearly out. "Onix! Get rid of the Sandstorm!" he called. The ground and rock dual type nodded slowly before beginning a powerful and long 360 degree spin, successfully blowing away the artificial Sandstorm it had created.

"Nidoran!" Steven's voice exclaimed. Brock's eyes flashed back to the still un watch able battlefield. "Now just as we practiced!" he shouted loudly enough for the Gym Leader to hear but not to decipher. He growled and narrowed his eyes as he attempted to find the little purple creature however to no avail and it was then that the Sandstorm had finally dissipated from the air. Albeit only his opponent stared back at him, a smug grin plastered on his face. Brock gave a little chuckle and began to look for his Onix's disappeared opponent.

"Never would've thought." Brock began as he searched behind him quickly before turning back. "That you'd have gone this far to win kid. Especially after your little stunt last time," the Pewter Gym Leader gave him his own smirk before resuming his search.

"You know, you won't win this time Brock." Steven's annoying little voice interrupted. The Leader's dark brown eyes darted over to him. "I can tell now. Besides the fact I've improved I don't what it is. But I can tell," he finished his strange explanation with a grin. Brock raised an eyebrow and chortled at him.

"If that's all you have to go on then you'll have a lot of trouble collecting." he laughed. Steven only gave his own little laugh back and Brock narrowed his eyes at him. He had finished searching the ceiling to see if the little creature was hiding up above the Gym's lighting but to no avail. "The only other place a Nidoran could hide would be." he began under his breath as he lowered his eyes to the ground just near his opponent's feet. And then widened them. "Oh no." the young man mumbled, a horror filled expression on his face. Steven caught his expression quickly enough.

"Nidoran now! It's all or nothing!" Steven exclaimed over the dead silence that had infiltrated its way into the Gym. Brock gasped and his eyes darted over to the large mound in the Gym's floor just next to his Onix, a small trail leading from Steven's own feet. Suddenly Brock's heart began beating faster.

"Ooonix! Move away from-" Brock shouted as quickly as he could. The Onix turned to him with a blink as it awaited his next words however it was swiftly interrupted as the large mound in the floor suddenly exploded, sending dust and rock everywhere. The Onix widened its own eyes as yet more pain surged through its rock hard body and it roared loudly as it was sent flying from its position, albeit not in the way its trainer intended. "Agh! Son of a-" the young man exclaimed as he gripped the sides of his head in pure frustration, the rest of his sentence cancelled out due the large Onix's painful and loud fall. The Nidoran back flipped and recovered itself from its attack, breathing heavily as it did so. Steven laughed and double punched the air as he jumped victoriously.

"What did I tell ya?! Fair dos, you may have beaten me once but never again!" he whooped, ending with a grin and a point of his finger. Brock gave him a single weak smile before turning to his fallen Onix.

"You did great buddy." he whispered at the fainted creature before recalling it back to its Poké ball. He turned back to the smirking Steven and began clapping his hands. "Well done kid. I didn't expect you to have such a strategy ready like that." he smiled, applauding the young boy who in turn grinned and bowed as if he had just finished off a play. Brock frowned. He realised he was inadvertently stroking his ego. "In any case I wouldn't get too comfortable kid. You're not even halfway through Kanto yet if you're after a spot in this year's League," the young man stated with an honest smile as he folded his arms. Steven looked up with his usual punch worthy grin.

"You saw the way I trounced you. I think I'll be just fine." he said. Brock rolled his eyes before about facing and walking up to a large neat looking container. Opening it he smiled as he took out one of the many Boulder Badges inside. But frowned as he stared into its dull colour. He turned his head to have a look at the grinning Steven whom currently was having a small boxing match with his laughing Nidoran. The Gym Leader almost chuckled before turning his head back again and looking up at the small badge embedded in the wall above him. It – like the others he carried in the container case – was a Boulder Badge. He plucked it from its place and frowned down at it, turning his head to stare at the grinning Steven before he smiled and began to head over to the young boy.

"Here kid." the Pewter Gym Leader smiled as he handed the badge over to the grinning boy. "The Boulder Badge as proof of your victory," he explained simply.

"'Bout time." the Pallet trainer grinned as the badge entered his hand. However it began to glow a grey light. He blinked and frowned. Brock raised his eyebrows before smiling. "What the hell? Is this broken?" he questioned, sounding a little annoyed as he showed the apparatus to the young man who in turn sighed.

"No. It's because it's the best Boulder Badge I have," he explained with a roll of his eyes. Steven immediately grinned and closed up his hand into a fist before turning to his Nidoran again.

"Ha! Only the best!" he laughed, showing the glowing badge up to the Nidoran's face. Brock gave a little chortle as he watched, folding his arms.

"Now!" a voice suddenly exclaimed. The four all widened their eyes at the sudden interruption before the lights abruptly went out, surrounding the area in darkness.

"What's going o-" Brock began with a blink however he was quickly knocked out of breath by an unseen force and he felt his back hit the floor hard.

"Agh! Dark!" Steven yelled out, flailing his arms around at the darkness around him as if to find some sort of light however it was to no avail. The young trainer widened his eyes and gasped however as a cold sharp object was placed up against his neck, the rest of his body going solid stop. "W-What's-" he began, his lower lip shaking. He heard his Nidoran beside him growl before it gave a whine. He supposed it was kicked away.

Brock gave a pained yell of his own as something crashed upon the side of his head, sticking itself there fast. "Get off me!" he called angrily, gritting his teeth as he looked up at the dark shadowed assailant above him. He received only a laugh. "Fine! Onix teach him a lesson he'll never forget!" the young man exclaimed as he threw out the Poké ball in his free right hand. The two unknown assailants both gave worried gasps as the Poké ball opened up.

And then they laughed.

The Onix laid on the floor face down seemingly asleep. And before long Brock realised his mistake.

"Dammit." he cursed quietly. "Wait! I got it! Geodude! Get 'em!" Brock called this time with a grin on his face. The two unknown figures exchanged a visual shrug before one of them turned on a flashlight and began searching. Both Brock and Steven stayed silent as they watched the pool of yellow light work its way through the large room before it finally stopped at the top end. A Geodude lied on the floor; face up its eyes crossed out as it held a yellow cloth in its left rocky hand, water sprinkling down its face. The two figures laughed simultaneously. "Aw man!" Brock hissed in frustration, scowling as he did so. And yet _another_ light bulb shined in the young Gym Leader's head. "Steven!" he called and the blinking young boy turned his head as far as he could to the sound of his fellow captive. "The Squirtle you have! Use it! I know you didn't use it in our battle so it's ready to fight!" he called. Suddenly the pressure on the young Pallet's throat tightened.

"I don't-" he began in a hoarse voice. "I don't have it with me," he said shakily, gritting his teeth at the wrist and knife that held him in place. Brock's eyes widened.

"Why not?!"

"Because- Because I abandoned it!"

Brock gasped and his scowl changed to pure astonishment.

"Well. I'm sorry to interrupt this heart warming conversation fellas." the first assailant began as they pushed harder down on Brock's head. The Gym Leader growled through the pain. He recognised the voice as deep. A man's. "But you have something of ours Brocky my dear. And if you don't give us it." The man began and a gun's hammer cocked at the end of his sentence. Brock's eyes widened. "Then the citizens of Pewter'll have a tough job cleaning your mess up," he finished and Brock could picture the man grinning as he spoke.

"You ain't gettin' shit from me buddy," the Gym Leader shot back with a scowl on his face. He immediately felt pain surge through his stomach. He huffed out loud and clutched at his stomach area, shutting his eyes tight. Steven began to breath more heavily as he listened.

"You better give me it or I'll blow your fuckin' head off wise guy." the man's voice came again and he yanked up the young man's collar to face him. For the first time Brock got a good look at his crude spoken but stealthy kidnapper. He was rough lined with scars here and there on his face, even a small piece of his left ear missing, his stringy black hair fell down at his ears and laid there and his navy blue eyes stared back at him narrowed. "Where is it?" he hissed into the Gym Leader's face. Brock scowled and spit on his face. The man exclaimed angrily before slapping his pistol across his captive's face, sending him sprawling to the Gym's floor.

"Hey Rick." the second assailant began softly, loosening his grip on the young Pallet trainer. Steven recognised it was another man. "Do we really have to do this? Can't we have just stolen the badge instead?" he asked.

"Shut up _Benjamin._ He's still here so we take the badge by force if we need to," the first man shot back, his head whipping 'round. However before Ben could reply to his comrade another shadow behind him made him widen his eyes. He pointed ahead of himself and behind his friend who in turn blinked at his shadow before turning 'round.

And immediately he was taken to the ground. Rick gave an angry yell as his assailant – obviously the now recovered Brock – knocked the pistol out of his hand. "Fuckin' dick!" he shouted and a fist flew across the Gym Leader's shadowed face. He grunted in reply before sending his own at the man's, beginning a rolling fistfight between the two.

"No stop!" Ben exclaimed, letting go his captive as he stepped forward. "You said no one had to get hurt Rick!" the young man shouted over the fighting however it to no avail as the two brawlers ignored him. Steven's eyes widened and he backed away from the fighting slowly before tripping and falling to the ground. His expression remained as he fell onto his rump, listening intently to the events unfolding.

Brock yelled and sunk his fist into the man's face, earning a muffled cry from the man below him however he received a swift knee to his groin. Brock's eyes widened and he gasped in blaring sudden pain, his hands shooting down to his crotch instantly.

"Oh shit," he croaked out almost too inaudibly for anyone to hear, breathing heavily as he rolled off of the attacking man.

"I gave you the chance to hand it over easy but no you had to fight me didn't you, ya prick?!" Rick barked out angrily, his voice reverberating across the Gym's hall. Brock breathed heavily as sweat began to fall from his brow and he heard a hammer cock once more.

"Oh _shit_," he managed out again, gritting his teeth together tightly as he winced.

"No Rick! Don't!" Ben shouted and a small fight between the two erupted.

Rick grunted angrily as he slapped the younger man out of his way, sending him – like his previous opponent – sprawling to the ground. He re-aimed his pistol at the fallen Brock's head and dusted himself off. "Say goodnight Mr. Slate," the man scowled angrily and pulled on the trigger slowly. Brock's eyes widened and he gasped loudly.

"Squirtle Water Gun!" a voice shot in suddenly. Everyone blinked at the interruption and turned to the right at the source. Rick exclaimed in sudden surprise and anger as his pistol was suddenly knocked from his hand the second time that day, water spraying across his hand afterward.

"Shit!" he exclaimed and leaped for his fallen gun again.

"Not so fast!" the voice added in a sing-song tone. Brock blinked through his pain brought tears before he smiled as he recognised the voice. The two figures at the top of the Gym's balcony leaped from their positions and landed on Rick's pistol.

"Fuck!" he squawked as the voice's owner trampled his right hand.

"Rick! Let's just get out of here now!" Ben suggested desperately, kneeling next to the fallen man.

"You run if you want you pussy but I'm gettin' that badge!" Rick barked back before he turned his attention back on his gun.

"You're getting nothing but a beating with the way you've been acting," the foot's owner claimed. Rick narrowed his eyes at the girl standing above him. He knew it was a girl, could tell just by the sing song tone in her voice.

"Fuckin' bitch! Get off me!" he roared lividly, baring his teeth at the girl. She seemed to grin in the darkness though he couldn't tell for sure.

"Now do you think that's polite?"

"_I said_ _get the fuck off me or I'll fuckin' fuck you up you fuckin' fuck!_"

The girl blinked at him once and frowned. "Change the record will you?"

Ben winced before turning 'round to his captive who by now was shaking terribly, his eyes widened.

"Hey." he said softly. Steven made no sign that he had heard him. "Do you have a Boulder Badge?" he asked. The young boy seemed to blink at him before slowly but surely going into his jacket pockets and bringing out a small grey emblem. Ben smiled at him. It glowed in the room, giving the Gym its first light in a little while. "Can I have it?" he asked simply. Steven only blinked at him. Everyone's eyes had caught the glow.

"N-No!" Brock gasped out as he pulled out one arm as if to reach the badge in his former opponent's hand. "Don't let them have it!" he croaked out.

"Ha, ha!" Rick laughed, grinning as he turned. "Grab it Ben ya idiot!" he exclaimed.

"No Steven! Keep it!" the girl's voice shot out.

Ben sighed, his eyes turning to the three behind him before he looked back at his previous captive with another smile. He moved his own hand over to the boy's and closed it up, successfully cutting off the badge's light. "Keep it." he said, smiling at the blinking youth before he stood back up and made his way to the Gym's exit. Rick widened his eyes as he watched.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he shrieked, anger and confusion settling in. No answer bar his ally's footsteps. "Ben! Ben!" he called. The Gym's doors opened and closed, leaving the remaining members all blinking.

"Well there's somethin' you don't see everyday." the girl chimed in, breaking the silence. Rick growled lowly and shot his hand toward his fallen gun, albeit before he could reach it he was kicked by the girl's trainers.

"Agh!" he exclaimed, fishing his hand back immediately.

"You're not getting anything mister." the girl stated as the man stood up, seemingly as if to attack her. "Squirtle go for it!" she ordered pointing at the man.

"Squir! Squirtle!" the little water type grinned and it ran at the blinking man before leaping into the air. As it sailed toward him, it retracted itself back into its shell before finally slamming into his chest, eliciting a wide eyed expression and sudden gasp of pain, quickly sending him back onto the ground, only this time face up. He groaned.

"All right! Great job!" she laughed, sharing a high five with the grinning little turtle.

"Shit," Rick coughed loudly as he raised himself slowly and began to crawl his way after his comrade, muttering under his breath as he did so.

"And don't come back!" the girl called after him as the door shut.

And the last thing Steven seen was his Squirtle's smiling face staring up at him.

--

A/N: ZOMG LYKE THIEVES! Yeah I know REAL original Kenrai but I did it purely for the lolz. Well not really. But still. XD Hope you enjoyed anyway as I DID kind of promise The Devil Deity I'd work on Fire Emblem. =( 'Till next time.


	6. Navigational Problems

**Chapter 6: Navigational Problems**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its stuff for if I did I'd be a very rich young man. (Sniff) Ho well. =(**

_A/N: YES! Right back up to two! High five! (Crickets chirp) (Sniff) =( Weeell anyway: _

_**The Devil Deity:**__ God dammit Kevin you always make me laugh in those reviews of yours. XD Or chuckle at least. At any rate it's appreciated. XD And yeah I guess Squirtle is but hey rejoice, Heart Gold and Soul Silver's Generation change has fixed the inferior battle system. =D Now I can choose Totodile and not feel handicapped! XD Heh, heh. XD Well in any case, hope you enjoy the ol' chapter friend. _

_**Standard-DB:**__ Ach that's fair dos man. And YES! It did. For lolz I'm gonna say. Ho hum. XD _

'_Maturity' you say huh? Well I guess so; don't blame Nintendo for dumbing down its concepts really what with everyone getting sued here and there like nobody's business. _

_Yeah so did I. XD Just went with it myself though, all I had to do was _not_ imagine it funnily enough and I did eet. Funny stuff. _

_And YES! Cheers mah boi. It'll get better though don't worry. XD _

_Yeah you can count on it man. XD Now then in any case, hope ye enjoy the ol' chapter mate. _

_OMGHEARTGOLDANDSOULSILVER!_

_--_

"_Is…that…right?" _

"_Yes ma'am. We were overpowered,"_

"_But you so terribly informed me it was a simple job for you Mr. Scott didn't you?" _

_Rick scowled and narrowed his eyes at the gorgeous marble floor he kneeled on but didn't dare let his superior catch wind of his expression. _

"_I'm aware of that ma'am." he said in a pleasant voice, unlike his usual gruff and angry tone. "But you see complications arose during the operation and soon setback after setback impeded me in my goal," he finished with an amiable and unmeant smile up at the beautiful woman in the makeup chair in front of him. _

_No not a woman. A bitch. _

_She looked down at him with a conceited expression on her face as two lower ranked women began to tend to her nails. "And what complications were these Mr. Scott?" _

_A stuck up fucking bitch. _

_He smiled emptily at her again. "Well my partner had decided in all of his wisdom to leave the Pewter Gym without our goal in mind and in the middle of our operation to boot." the man explained quietly. She raised a silky brown eyebrow. "I'd think that's a good enough reason as any," he said with another smile. _

_That ought to shut the pretentious cow up. _

"_That's all well and good Mr. Scott but you realise now that obtaining that little badgey wadgey will be all the more difficult now?" she sighed, inspecting her nails as she did so. He flinched, anger spreading through him._

"_Yes of course but I-" _

"_Oh Benjamin honey could you come in here please?" she suddenly called, interrupting him mid-sentence. He almost shouted at her but managed to maintain his composure. And before Rick could think up another insult to the young woman a young man walked through the doors behind him, passing him without even a glance, stopping by the woman's side and then facing him. _

_Ben?! _

"_Benny dear could you please tell Mr. Scott what _really_ transpired at Pewter Gym?" she asked with her own smile. Ben looked down at her with a weak smile of his own before wincing at the wide eyed look on his comrade. _

_The weasel. _

_The young man sighed with a frown and closed eyes before opening his mouth. "My partner Rick Scott and I Ben Rivers had decided to infiltrate the Pewter City Gym led by Brock Slate and obtain the special Boulder Badge you requested my lady," he explained monotonously as he looked down at the frowning Rick. The woman nodded with a smile on her face. _

"_But?" she added with a playful tone in her voice, running the back of her free hand up the frowning Ben's own arm. He shivered a little. Rick almost laughed. _

_Lucky son of bitch. _

"_But." he sighed, shutting his eyes before opening them again. "We were interrupted during our operation by a young girl wielding a Squirtle. She managed to gain the upper hand on us by knocking my partner and I unconscious and to finish she left us outside the Gym where we were picked up and rescued by Team Rocket Grunts," he explained in a monotone voice. _

_Rick blinked. _

_The woman sighed. "Mr. Scott this is the story that has been reported to our superior." She said. Rick only raised an eyebrow at her. She narrowed her eyes at him in a mixture of contempt and amusement. "Because after all I'm sure we wouldn't want our superior learning of your little escapade would we?" she chuckled. _

"_Whatever do you mean… ma'am? _

"_Well you had an excellent chance to grab the Boulder Badge but instead for some stupid reason you left the Gym with no explanation for your actions," she explained in an amused tone. Rick's eyes widened a little and they darted over to his partner's, instantly narrowing as they did so. Ben's own eyes were fixed on the floor beneath him. _

"_I did, did I?" he asked with a glare in his eyes. Ben stayed silent. _

_The yellow bastard. _

"_Good, now that we're all in agreement." the woman smiled as she waved off the two maids and they bowed as they walked off. "I'd like for you to reconsider what your loyalties are to Mr. Scott and if they are to us then we'd very much like you to take care of this little problem." she said, smiling down at him. He frowned and nodded. "You see now that these people have lived through one of your ill conceived attacks they may possibly know of Team Rocket's involvement in the whole affair so." she said in a sing song voice, looking away as she did so. Rick's left eye twitched a little but nodded regardless. "We'd like you to eliminate the survivors," she chuckled amiably enough. Rick wasn't surprised and nodded once again. _

"_Yes ma'am I'd be delighted to," he replied. _

"_Good." the woman smiled before she raised herself. "Now as far as I know the two boys and girl are heading through Mount Moon. It would be terrible for these young people to meet such a horrific end there wouldn't you agree?" _

_Rick grinned a little at her. "Of course my lady. Nature should intervene," he smiled. _

"_Excellent." she laughed, clapping her hands together. "Now you are dismissed Mr. Scott. Please leave," the woman now frowned, waving him off as if he were simple trash. Rick frowned. _

"_What about my partner?" he asked only. She looked down at him with a curious blink before chuckling. _

"_Ah yes." she smiled, looking over at the frowning young man. "He will be rejoining you for your next little attempt shortly, I have some business with him you see," she explained, looking back down at Rick with the same smile but somewhere in there he sense more contempt. He looked over at the nervous looking, heavy breathing Ben before finally connecting the dots. _

_Unbelievable. _

_He bowed his head and frowned. "Yes ma'am." he only said before turning and walking off out the doors, a thunderous expression on the man's face. _

_--_

"_Yeah they say he won't wake for weeks yet, months even," _

"_Yeesh that's pretty bad. And only from that?"_

His eyes fluttered and his muscles twitched a little.

"_Yeah. He must really be fragile if that's the case," _

"_I'll say," _

He moaned a little and forced himself to open up his eyes before wincing at the light that blinded him.

"Steven?" a voice called. The young boy raised a hand to block out some of the sudden blinding light. A frowning folded armed, brown haired young man stood a few steps away from his bed, currently in the middle of conversing with a young red haired girl. "You're awake." the young man smiled as he walked up to the boy, the girl next to him.

Steven groaned and shut one of his eyes, attempting to adjust his vision to the light.

"Looks like the doctor was wrong huh?" the young man chuckled, sticking his hands into his pockets as he stopped at the bed's south end. Steven recognised him as the Gym Leader he had just beaten.

"Yeah you recovered pretty quickly," the girl's voice claimed. Steven blinked and turned to his right. The red haired girl was sitting on the bed's edge. He recognised her as Daisy. He blinked however as he looked around himself. Nurses walking to and fro, occasional coughing from abed patients and the pyjamas he wore.

A hospital?

And then his memory returned to him.

"Wait what happened to those guys who attacked us?" the boy asked frantically, his blue eyes widening. "Brock one of those guys had you by gunpoint!" he exclaimed, his voice raising as he pointed at the blinking Gym Leader in question. As if on cue, members of the ward all turned their heads to listen in on the scene.

"Settle down kid everything's all right now." Brock chuckled, smiling at the wide eyed young boy. "It was Daisy that saved our lives," he explained simply. The boy blinked and turned to the girl in question who smiled in reply.

"Well I couldn't have done it without your Squirtle," she chuckled, a tone of embarrassment in her voice. Steven only raised a brown eyebrow. She pointed down at his quilt and he blinked before looking down.

"Agh!" he exclaimed suddenly, pulling up his covers immediately. A light brown shell lied on his bed, a snoring noise coming from it.

"It's been watching you since you've been here." Daisy smiled before she moved to knock on the hard shell's top. "Squirtle? Are you awake in there?" she asked quietly. As expected a little blue head began to surface out of the shell's black pit, its eyes half shut.

"Squir." it mumbled groggily. However its eyes shot open as the blinking Steven stared back at it. "Squirtle!" it exclaimed, its arms and legs shooting out immediately and it rushed toward him, smiling as it did so.

"Oh Squirtle." Steven murmured under his breath as he stared back, frowning. "Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly.

_And the last thing he saw was his Squirtle's smiling face, staring down at him. _

"Yeah those two pretty much saved the day for us didn't ya big fella?" Brock grinned as he petted the smiling creature. Steven looked at his Squirtle and then to the smiling Daisy, whom was also petting the little turtle. He winced a little and looked down at his covers.

"Listen you guys." he began lowly. The three all turned to him with blinks on their faces. "I'm sorry. If I never challenged you at such a late time Brock none of that would've happened." he said, turning to face the blinking young man with a guilty frown on his expression. Brock smiled a little at him. "And Daisy well." he began, lowering his eyesight again. "I'm sorry I used you, I didn't really mean anything by it and if you want to join me then you're welcome," the boy finished in a guilty tone, avoiding the three's eyes as he did so. They all smiled at him.

"Nah it's fine kid. If anything you did me a favour." Brock chuckled. Steven looked up with a curious blink. "See if I left the Gym before those crooks managed in I'd have been short one Gym Badge," he smiled, folding his arms again. Steven raised a dubious brown eyebrow at him.

"Well what's the big deal with it anyway? It's not as if you don't have more of those things lyin' around?" he asked. Brock frowned and exchanged a quick look with Daisy, earning the young trainer to narrow his eyes at the two.

"Well yeah but it's the principle you know," he laughed, simply waving it off. Steven blinked at him but shrugged anyway.

"Who _were_ those guys anyway? The ones that attacked us I mean," he questioned, lowering his arms to lie on the quilt as he stared up the two. Brock frowned again and he folded his arms.

"Well we _did_ get their names but as for who they're probably working with," the Pewter Gym Leader began, looking off into the distance as he spoke ending his sentence on an imperfect cadence.

"We have no idea," Daisy finished off the young man's words with her own disappointed frown. Steven nodded with his own frown.

"Probably just a couple of idiots looking for a profit off a badge huh?" he chuckled in his own explanation. Both of his friends shook their heads in reply. He blinked.

"It's definitely an organisation of some sort behind all of this. Although they didn't seem like it, those men were trained," he replied sombrely, frowning as he did so.

"Even the guy with the gun?" Steven asked, raising an eyebrow. Brock winced as he the crude speaking man with the scars on his face and the left part of his ear missing, the black haired guy.

"Yes Steven even the guy with the gun," Daisy chuckled brightly. He laughed along with the girl, rubbing the back of his head a little in a nervous fashion.

"Just one thing kid." Brock began with a small smile of his own. The Pallet town trainer turned with an amiable look on his face. "That Boulder Badge I gave you. It's safe isn't it?" he asked. Steven blinked and began to search all of his pockets. Groaning a little in frustration he turned to his sides and to his dismay he found nothing. Brock's face went pale.

"Please tell me you haven't lost it," he whispered.

"It must be in my bag." he stated with a small pout, folding his arms. Both Daisy and Brock let out simultaneous sighs. "Why are _you_ so interested anyway?" he questioned, raising his eyebrow up at the blinking Brock.

"Well." he began uncertainly, raising his lower lip as he did so. Steven stared at him with an interrogative expression. "You'll need it so you can get a spot in this year's Pokémon League," he explained. Steven blinked out of his narrowed glance and nodded with a frown.

"Oh yeah good point," he murmured.

"So where you off to next then Mr. Pokémon master?" Brock asked as he smiled at the young boy. Steven looked up with a confident grin at the Gym Leader.

"The next Gym, where else?" he shot back, clenching his fist in a premature victory pose. Brock laughed however he grinned as he exchanged a look with Daisy. Steven caught it quickly and raised an eyebrow. "What's up?" he asked only, narrowing his eyes.

"Nothin' kid. Lemme tell you, you're gonna have a hard time deciphering certain things later on." he chuckled at him, unfolding his arms as he did so. Steven only blinked. "Later you two, take it easy huh?" the brown haired young man smiled as he turned and started his way out the ward's exit. Daisy smiled and waved him off, eliciting the Pallet trainer to do the same though not without another curious blink.

"Anyway." Daisy began, standing off the bed and wiping off her jeans. "If you wanna get yourself checked out I'll be outside waiting for you 'kay?" she smiled. Steven looked up at her and nodded a weak smile on his face. Satisfied she turned and followed suit Brock out the door. Steven sighed a little as he exchanged a stare with his Squirtle now currently standing on the quilt covers across from him. He raised an eyebrow at the little turtle and the water type Pokémon only cocked its head to the side at him in a sign of confusion. Steven smirked a little.

--

Taking in a deep breath he sighed loudly as the morning air reached his nose. He looked around the area and grinned as he caught the smiling Daisy conversing with the Gym Leader Brock, not far from where he was standing currently. She seemed to exchange a few more words with him, a laugh and then the two parted ways with a mutual handshake before she finally made her way over to the young boy.

"So we got a heading?" Steven grinned, as he affixed his backpack up on his shoulders.

"Well Brock just told me we need to trek through Mount Moon before we reach the next Gym you want to face," she replied.

"All right awesome! Time to rough it again!" he grinned confidently and began walking south.

"Through Route three," Daisy finished. Steven blinked and turned. The red headed girl was grinning as she pointed to her left, signalling to the open Route beside her.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "Uh yeah, through there again right," he grinned back again, however this time with a reddish tint to his cheeks. Daisy giggled a little.

"Maybe next time wait and listen huh?" she grinned as they marched through the grass.

"Shut up," the Pallet trainer shot back with a small pout. She chuckled jollily.

"So is it really the League you wanna challenge?" the girl asked with an interested tone in her voice.

"Well. Sort of." he admitted, looking off the opposite direction. Daisy raised a red eyebrow as she awaited his next answer. "I kinda ran away from home swearing to my parents I'd prove them wrong so I wanna be Pokémon battling Champion in order to do that," he explained quickly. Daisy blinked at him as she walked. Steven winced a little.

"Well that's… Quite a goal." she said. Steven laughed a little. "You ever wonder what you'd do if you failed?" she asked quietly. Steven's smile left him. Daisy knew he was pretty fragile physically already but decided to chance the question anyway.

"I won't." he said, narrowing his eyes as he did so. "I can't. I have to show them my independence and if becoming Champion is what'll make them believe that then that's what I'll do," the boy finished with a serious contrast expression on his face, staring ahead of him as he did.

"You've been wondering about it a lot huh?" Daisy asked quietly as she frowned over at him. He turned with a single blink before smiling lightly.

"I guess so." he chuckled. "Hey looks like we're here," he smiled as they stopped at a sign next to an open cave.

_Route Three – Mt. Moon_

"Might be a good idea to check if we have enough supplies before heading in you know?" Daisy piped in. Steven grinned and nodded before pulling off his backpack and placing it on the floor.

"Potions, Antidotes, Paralyse Heals, Burn Heals." he murmured to himself as he rummaged through the red coloured sack. "Ooh an Ether!" he grinned as he held up the spray device. Daisy shared a grin with him before returning to her own pack. "Yeah looks like I'm all set," he smiled, grabbing his bag and hoisting it over his shoulders again. He frowned however as Daisy rummaged through her ruby coloured bag, murmuring to herself as she did so. Steven folded his arms and leaned against the rocky wall behind him and frowned as he waited.

"Waaaiit! Hold on!"

Both Daisy and Steven blinked out of their actions and turned to find a rather scantily dressed man rushing toward them. Their eyes widened and they both scrambled to run however managed to trip over each other in the excitement. The man finally came to a halt, gasping for breath as he stood over the two wide eyed children.

"Here take her Waluigi; she's ripe for the pickin'!" Steven exclaimed madly as he grabbed the girl next to him and forced her in front of him. She yelled in surprise as she was brought forward.

"Steve!" she shot out in half anger, half horror. The man only blinked down at them in wonder and amazement.

"Sorry if I scared you kids but I'm only here to deliver this," he explained simply as he brought out a Poké ball from his small pocket, attached with a letter.

"Here Daisy you take it!" Steven exclaimed. The girl scowled down at the boy behind her before wincing as she picked up the letter by her index and fore finger.

"Okay then, till later!" he smiled at the two before turning again and running off in a strange manner back the way he came.

"Must've been a postman huh." Steven murmured as he blinked. Daisy narrowed her eyes at the boy and elbowed him in the stomach, earning a pained yell from him as she stood back up. "Agh! You didn't have to do that you know!" he exclaimed with a childish pout.

"Well _you_ didn't have to sacrifice me to that creepy guy did you?!" she barked back angrily, pointing at him accusingly. He blinked in his sat stance.

"Oh yeah good point." he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he did so. Daisy groaned at him lightly however returned her attention to the letter and Poké ball in her hand. Deciding to chance a full grasp she grimaced, opened up the letter and began reading aloud.

_Dear Master Murray_

_We're sorry to report you forgot your Squirtle as it – along with its original Poké ball of course – was regrettably left under your ward bed. _

Daisy raised an eyebrow and looked down at the wincing Steven. She looked back down at the letter.

_As per regulations we have dispatched an officer to recover this loss to you as soon as possible. Hopefully it reached you in time. Thank you for your understanding. _

_Pewter City Hospital_

Daisy blinked once and looked up from the letter to where the young boy Steven was listening in. And suddenly there was no-one there anymore. "Wha-" she began with another blink however sudden movement to her left made her look over. Steven was rushing into the open cave of Mount Moon, stumbling as he did so. Daisy grumbled and rolled her eyes before following wordlessly and with seemingly no effort at all. She ran to catch up with him and quickly grabbed his shoulder, whirling him 'round. He blinked and waved at her.

"Hi dere." he greeted nervously. She glared at him. "What?" he asked, his nervous tone shaking in his voice, a weak smile on his face.

"You 'forgot' your Squirtle huh?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she thrust the letter up the said letter to his face abruptly, earning a surprised blink from him. He skimmed through it quickly and smiled.

"Is that all?" he asked. Daisy's Poké balled hand clenched hard and she threw the letter down at her feet. Steven was took aback immediately, blinking again. "Were you thinking of abandoning your Squirtle again?" she asked slowly, narrowing her green eyes at him. He stared back before he winced a little, his eyes sneaking over to his left. "_Well?_" she tried again, this time more forcefully.

"Well." he began with a small cough. "I might've had an idea to," he fudged a little, even shrugging as he explained, though refused to meet her furious eyes.

"I don't believe you!" she suddenly exploded. Steven's frail expression winced immediately. "That Squirtle saved your life and all you can do is throw it away like it's trash!" she continued, screaming into his face. His grimace switched to a scowl and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Okay fair dos it saved my life whoop de doo!" he shot back, further insulting both the Squirtle and the livid girl with a few waves of his hands. She seethed. "But the way I figure it that makes us even!"

"Oh yeah how do you figure?!"

"It couldn't even take on an Onix and win! Now _that_ is fail!" he shot back quickly, baring his teeth at the girl like a wild animal. She stared back with a silent glare.

"Usually when a Pokémon falls in battle the fault is its trainer," she replied quietly. Steven blinked out of his anger however recovered his scowl quickly.

"What kinda heel you think I am?!" he shouted again, shrugging as he did so. Daisy only continued glaring at him. "What?!" he screamed again angrily at her. She merely pocketed the Poké ball in her hand, turned away from him and began heading further through into the darkness of the cave. "Fine! Just go! Not as if me, Nidoran or Rattata need you or Squirtle anymore!" he called, glaring at the girl's back until she was no longer visible. He huffed and made his own way through the cave, thrusting his hands into his pockets as he walked lowly, scowling as he did so. "'Oh look at me I'm so moral la, la, la, la, la! Watch me prance around and save all the Pokémon from bad people!'" he mocked in a sing song voice, smiling obliviously as he did. He scowled thereafter again however. "Thinks she's so great. Well she's not." he grumbled under his breath as he walked through the darkness. "You hear me?! You're not!" he called through the darkness, turning his head to face the last location in which he saw the said girl however he received no real reply and so he huffed again and continued on. "What's the big deal anyway it's not as if I'm a murderer or something," he asked himself, shrugging.

"I believe ya kid. Thousands wouldn't,"

Steven's feet stopped immediately and he widened his eyes. Before he could say or even think anything else he was suddenly grabbed by the neck forcefully and lifted into the air.

"Ugh! Wha-"

"You know you're pretty light kid," the unknown figure's voice chuckled. He recognised the deep voice.

"Y-You're that guy from last night at the Pewter Gym!" he exclaimed, bringing both his hands up to the said man's wrist.

"Well done. I oughta give ya a gold _star_ for that one!" the man laughed, punctuating with a kick as he spoke. Steven yelled in pain as the man's knee crushed into his spine. "Where's the girl?" he asked. Steven merely groaned. "The red head bitch. The one with the Squirtle, where is she?" he asked again. There was no humour in the man's tone anymore. Steven only grunted and pulled his right leg back to kick into the man albeit it was quickly intercepted and brought back down. "Think you're smart kid?" he questioned and another knee Steven presumed went into his back. He yelled again. "You're in absolutely." Kick. He yelled. "No position." Kick. He yelled again. "To do that." Kick. Another yell. "Okay?" he began again, this time in a pleasant tone. No reply. "Kid?" Rick asked, raising a black eyebrow. The boy's red clothed body became limp in his arms. "Shit." he muttered and looked around himself. Too dark. He began to slowly set the boy down carefully. And that's when he made his move.

Steven's eyes shot wide open and he executed a turning right kick to the man's exposed stomach. Rick's own eyes widened and he grunted in sudden surprise and pain, sent back a few steps. Immediately the Pallet trainer turned again and began to run. He huffed as his legs pounded against the rocky floor beneath him, every now and then turning in the darkness for a look at his enemy. Nothing visible. But he didn't stop running in the darkness even when he almost tripped. He turned his head as he ran again to have another look at his enemy. Nothing there still. However regretted when he did. He turned back just in time to find a gigantic rock in front of him, approaching at full speed. Widening his eyes he grit his teeth as he attempted to stop, skidding across the floor as he did so albeit he smacked himself against the rock anyway and received yet _another_ surprise.

The rock _shouted_ out.

Widening his eyes again Steven looked back up and found an Onix staring back at him.

"Oh come _on_." he whimpered, grimacing as he did so. The rock and ground type roared as it flew its rocky tail at him and Steven grit his teeth together, leaping ahead away from the Pokémon. As its tail crashed against the rocks in the cave, Steven began to breath more heavily as he lay on his stomach flat, one of his eyes closed and both his hands shot up to his head, as if to ward off anything else. "Please God spare me and I'll do my duty to you and my country. Please God spare me and I'll do my duty to you and my country. Please God spare me and I'll do my duty to you and my country." he whispered quietly and shut both his eyes this time, his lower lip shivering as he did so. The Onix's cries were loud as it raged through the cave, presumably looking for the hiding young Pallet trainer in probable vain. However _another _thing happened that the young trainer didn't account for.

The roof above him began to collapse.

He widened his eyes as a rock plummeted down next to him, just barely missing his head. "Jesus Christ." he whined in a high pitch tone before he began to scramble to his feet almost immediately, a worried expression on his face. "No, no, no, no, no…!" he cried as he stepped over fallen boulders, weaving his way in and out of oncoming rocks. However he stopped moving instantly as a boulder twice the size of him crashed through the ceiling right in front of him. He stood with widened eyes, turned with a gasp and began out another way. Thwarted again however as another rock came hurtling through the ceiling, blocking his route. Whining he whirled around and went back the way he came this time in a western direction. Another rock stopped him. "Oh ho, ho, ho, ho this isn't good." he laughed to himself, shivering. Slowly turning back in a southern direction he started his way carefully. Yet another boulder dropped. "I don't believe this." he said simply, frowning now as he stared at the boulder blankly. Shaking his head he began to climb the boulder slowly and carefully. "Agh! Hell!" he exclaimed angrily as something smacked against his fingers, effectively throwing him back to the ground. He watched with widened eyes as rocks began to pile up above him. Scared realisation dawned through him.

This rocky dungeon was to be his _tomb_.

Whining again he brought himself back to his feet and started to pull of the smaller rocks from the top frantically, throwing them to the side. However more and more continued to pile back up in their places. "No, no come on please…!" he whimpered, moving as fast as his small body could manage, breathing heavily as he did so. Before he could continue another one however, the rock he was about to grab hurtled towards him. He yelled in sudden surprise and attempted to move out of the way albeit however he was too late and the brown rock smashed against his forehead, effectively sending him sprawling to the ground unconscious.

The Onix watched with narrowed eyes at the human's attempts contemptuously before it turned and began to slither into the darkness.

--

"_And I can't believe it ladies and gentlemen! In all my years as a Pokémon battling commentator never have I witnessed such an incredible, super magnificent, outstanding and matchless win!" the man screamed from his commentator box, one hand on the glass as he grinned down. Below a young boy in a red and white coloured jacket, black shirt, blue jeans, a red cap and finally a yellow coloured arm band stood with an arm raised high into the air, a grin accompanying his look. A Charizard just below the boy and standing in a stadium flapped its strong wings in a sign of victory and breathed a long and large stream of flame into the air. "At the record age of twelve this young boy from the far off town of Pallet has done what _no_ other trainer in Kanto – no the entire _world_ – has ever done in their entire lives!" the commentator roared through his microphone, attempting to shout over the deafening cheers of the stadium's audience. "Blazing through the Tournament Cup itself was not enough for this one oh no, he had to take the Elite Four's challenge and beat them all sequentially, without even breaking a sweat!" he finished in a small whimper before he finally breathed in more air, as if he were just being saved from drowning. "Ladies and gentlemen! Please give it up for our new region's Champion, Steven Murray!" he finished, grinning as he pointed down towards the grinning young boy. The audience all roared along with him loudly, even managing to shake the stadium with their voices. _

"_Thank you, thank you!" the young boy called out with his usual grin on his face. His Charizard roared. Steven looked down at the Fire and Flying type and leaped down to the stadium's battlefield before running up to the dragon like creature. "Nice job Volvagia I never doubted you for even a second!" he grinned, patting the fire type on the back. It seemed to grin itself and folded its arms at him. He looked behind his Charizard to find a downtrodden looking Ross marching up to the boy, his fallen Venusaur's Poké ball in his left hand. _

"_Steven. Looks like you're Champion now huh." he said in his usual monotone voice, folding his arms at the young boy. Steven beamed happily. "Listen I'm sorry I attempted to demoralise you and insult you nearly every time we met. You're better than me Steve. That's it," he laughed a little, disappointment clear in his voice. Steven's smile faded a little and he walked up to the auburn haired boy. _

"_Is that it Ross? But I was always better than you in every possible way. You know that." he smiled, grabbing the boy by his shoulders. The young trainer looked back up with a small chuckle and smile, nodding eliciting the new Champion to return the gesture. _

"_All right kid! Pose for a picture!" a voice called suddenly. Steven blinked and turned 'round to find a man with a brown hat on, aiming a camera at him. He grinned, locked a right arm around his folded armed Charizard and gave the man a quick peace sign. He clicked the camera. "Great now hug the loser." he said. Steven nodded and turned again to the frowning Ross, hugged him with a large smile and the man clicked the camera again. "All right, thanks kid!" the man smiled at him pocketing his camera before turning and walking off. Steven grinned and waved the man off. Suddenly however before he could even devise a suitable defence he was surrounded by an incredibly large group of screaming fans from the audience. _

"_Steve you're fucking awesome!" _

"_Yeah you have to teach us that trick with the Charizard!" _

"_Yeah dude teach us!"_

"_Steve be my boyfriend!" _

"_Back off you floozy!" _

_Steven laughed as he was lifted high into the air by the fans and he exchanged a grin with the on watching Ross and Charizard. _

"_Hey Steve!" _

_Steven blinked and looked down to his left. A smiling Daisy held up a large golden coloured cup, gesturing for him to take it. He grinned and grabbed the cup in both hands, admiring it for a few seconds. _

"_You won it! First prize!" she called. Steven turned with a nod and a grin at her. "First prize! First prize!" she continued. Steven only blinked at her. She seemed to smirk at him now. "First prize! First prize! Fi-_

-rst prize!"

Steven yelled as a pair of blue eyes stared back at him, pushing the owner of the eyes off him, earning a squeak in reply. He blinked several times to be sure he was awake and darted his head around the area breathing heavily as he did so. Last he remembered he was attempting to escape from a rocky labyrinth but now…

A fire crackled to his left and he turned his head immediately like a frightened Pidgey. A giggle sounded toward him further to his left. He turned again and blinked to find a brown haired girl on her hands and knees. She wore a black dress, white trainers and white gloves.

"Second time I've scared you rabbit," the girl giggled at him. He blinked at her and raised an eyebrow before recognition and memory kicked in and he widened his eyes.

"You're that girl from the Pewter jail!" he accused, pointing at her thusly. She grinned and nodded. "Wait hold on. What were you doing staring at me so close like that?" he asked, raising another brown eyebrow at her. She smiled this time and sat up, crossing her legs.

"You looked like you were havin' a crazy dream," she replied, smiling as she shook her fingers at him, expanding her eyes before returning to normal. He frowned and directed his eyesight down toward the ground below him.

"Guess I was huh." he chuckled to himself before widening his eyes as he came to another realisation. "Then what the hell were you doing talking to me in my sleep? I'm sure someone was," he shot out, a little annoyed. The girl grinned again.

"Yeah I did. I kept saying 'first prize'," she admitted. He blinked.

"Why?!" he asked angrily, shrugging as he did so.

"Screw with your head," she said. He blinked and she laughed again. The boy sighed, scowling lightly as he did so.

"Come on Kim cut it out will you? Poor kid probably feels bad as it is already," a voice jumped in. The two turned with simultaneous blinks to find a smiling young man bring up a couple of planks of wood before setting them down next to the fire. Steven blinked before recognising the young man as the one who saved him from Pewter jail.

"_Kevin." the teen grinned before he saluted off his ally and ran off, disappearing into the alleyways of Pewter City._

"Well fair enough." Kim grinned up at the young man before nodding to the boy in front of her. "Sorry," she apologised. It sounded unconvincing but Steven didn't really care anyway as his attention was set on the smiling little Charmander that blew a few streams of flame into the already burning fire. He turned to her with a sudden smile of his own.

"Hey you wanna trade Pokémon?" he asked, a hopeful air to his voice. Both teenagers blinked at him. And then laughed.

"Sure I'll bite. What for?" Kim asked with a small grin, cocking her head to the side. Steven grinned a little and brought out a Poké ball.

"_This_ Pokémon you can't get anywhere else. Can't even find it in the wild it's that rare," he grinned as he showed the two the sphere. Kim and Kevin both grinned at each other before returning their attention to the boy.

"Really?" Kim giggled.

"Yeah!" he grinned, stepping off the ground as he did so. Kim's grin was gone and she growled at him a little. He blinked.

"Careful that's _my_ jacket." she warned, pointing down to the clothing that Steven once thought was a quilt. He chuckled nervously before taking the white jacket off the ground, cleaning off the dust and handing it to her. She regained her grin and continued watching him.

"Uh anyway." he began again, rubbing the back of his head as he searched his memory banks. Then with a recognised grin he brought back up his Poké ball. "Come on out Squirtle!" he grinned, throwing out the sphere. Kim and Kevin blinked as they laid eyes on the creature. "You'll notice it's a starter _and_ a water type which means it has a type advantage over your Charmander," he continued on, grinning as he folded his arms and shut his eyes.

"Kid," Kevin called. Steven blinked out of his own explanation and made ready to scowl at the young man however before he could, the grinning trainer only pointed down at his feet. He blinked again and looked down.

A frowning drooped eyed Nidoran stared back at him.

"Lol whoops. Guess I sent out the wrong one huh?" he laughed nervously again. The two rolled their eyes. He cleared his throat and frowned, calling back the poison type before beginning to search within his pockets. "Hold on I'll get it." he mumbled as he searched. The two let out a snicker at him. The boy grumbled to himself as he continued to fish through his red coloured jacket both inside and out before his face brightened up and he brought out another sphere. "Ha! Read it and weep!" he exclaimed throwing the ball out.

And nothing jumped out of it.

"What the-" Steven blinked before reaching over to pick it up. He squeezed the ball and it squeaked. His eyes drooped and he scowled. Kevin and Kim both laughed again. Loudly.

"This what you're looking for?" a voice called. Steven blinked, looked up and gasped when he did. A red haired girl stood in between the on watching Kevin and Kim, scowling darkly at him as she held a sleeping young Squirtle in her hands, cradling it as if it were a baby.

"Daisy." he whispered, narrowing his eyes at her. "What's _she_ doing here?" he asked, directing his question at the two thieves, yet keeping his eyesight on the scowling Daisy.

"My words exactly," she shot back, staring back at the boy hatefully. Kim and Kevin looked at the two and shared a shrug.

"Well we kinda bumped into her really. She asked if she could join us and here she is," Kevin explained with a little laugh of his own as he folded his arms. Steven looked over at the young man before directing his angry eyesight back at the girl again.

"Yeah and we found the kid buried in a big rock fall after all that noise. We thought it was treasure or something in there," Kim giggled through her own explanation. Daisy frowned and nodded at her.

"Pity he didn't suffocate," the red head added with another scowl. Steven growled.

"Hey shut up!"

The two watchers exchanged worried looks.

"Hey come on kid, we don't wanna alert the whole of Mount Moon do we?" Kevin laughed as he walked up to the young boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. The Pallet trainer however shrugged it off with another scowl and went into a battle stance.

"Like I care!" he shot back angrily. Kevin sighed and shrugged at the wincing Kim in a defeated fashion.

"'Like I care!'" Daisy mimicked in a higher tone, earning a growl from the boy in question. "Don't you care about _anything_ in your miserable little life?" she interrogated.

"Of course I do! I care about being Pokémon battling Champion!"

"Oh real original!"

"Says you! 'Lol look at me I'm following you around like some kind of lifeless leech 'cause I have nothing else to do with my boring empty life!'"

Silence.

"Is that really what you think of me?" she asked, losing her scowl as she stared at him in disbelief. His scowl also left him, instead changing to a soft frown. Kevin was ready to open his mouth to the two however Kim got up in time to stop him and lowering his raised finger she merely shook her head at him, as if to warn him from even talking. "Well? Is it?" she asked again with a small whisper. Steven almost winced as he stared back and both his new friends, Kevin and Kim folded their arms at him, glaring a little. He sighed.

"No." he replied in a defeated tone, directing his eyesight to the rocky floor. "I just get angry easy that's all, I don't really mean anything by it." he mumbled out, sticking his hands into his pockets as he kicked a stone lying by his feet, staring at it all the while. "Sorry," he added. Daisy's frown left her and she smiled lightly at him.

"I'm sorry too," she replied. Steven looked back up with a frown before smiling a little himself.

"Ha great! Now that we're all hunky dory let's eat!" Kevin grinned, parking himself in front of the fire and taking out a few provisions from a blue handbag lying next to him. Steven nodded and with a small smile, sat next to the fire himself just across from Daisy. "So you all want bread?" he grinned, bringing out the said sustenance from the bag. Steven blinked as he was handed the bread.

"That's all you've got, bread?" he asked with a disappointed frown on his face.

"Yeah Kev, what happened to the meat remember?" Kim asked, raising a brown eyebrow as she passed a loaf over to the frowning Daisy.

"The guy had a shotgun what do you expect me to do, grab it and get pulverised?" he shot back with a small pout on his face. Kim giggled at him.

"Never send a man to do a woman's job," she smirked at young man, earning a laugh between the two girls. Kevin and Steven both blinked at each other before scowling at the two lightly.

"Shurrup and eat your bread," he shot back playfully, a small grin on his face. The girl only laughed. Steven shrugged at the two before grabbing as many pieces of bread as he could and began wolfing them down, spraying bread everywhere.

"Steven hey." Daisy called. He stopped abruptly and raised his head to look at the girl with a blink, bread stuck on his mouth and some of it falling down. Kevin snorted and Kim giggled a little. Daisy held in her own laugh and only grinned. "You might wanna feed your Pokémon that food as well," she pointed out. He blinked at her again and took a quick look around the cave. Kevin smiled as he handed his Machop and Gastly a piece of bread each, Kim handed her Charmander and a Sandshrew _(Steven noted to list in his Pokédex later)_ and Daisy did the same with her Poliwag and Shellder.

"Uh." he began in a mouthful of bread. "Good point." he conceded with a sheepish look on his face, earning chuckles all 'round before he sent out his current team of a Rattata and a Nidoran. "Here you go guys." he said, handing over a large piece of the bread in the middle between the two, earning two approved squeaks from the small monsters. The boy smiled as he watched the two gorge themselves on the bread before he realised he was one Pokémon short. Almost wincing as he realised which one he raised his head slowly to the smiling Daisy, the Squirtle in her hands letting out a small yawn as it began to awake. It turned with a groggy expression on its face and lighted up as it caught its trainer's stare. Steven smiled lightly and motioned for the Squirtle to join his team and the water type turned to the red haired girl's arms it lied in. She nodded with her own small smile and it leaped out, rushing over to the young boy and jumped into his arms, sending him sprawling to the ground with a surprised chuckle.

"That Squirtle really loves him huh?" Kevin said, smiling a little as he watched.

"Yeah it does," Daisy agreed with her own smile, nodding lightly.

Steven grinned at the Squirtle and handed it an extra piece of his own bread and the two began eating simultaneously, earning laughs from the both of them.

"Listen Squirtle." the Pallet trainer began with a sombre frown on his face. The water type looked up with a small blink, in the midst of its gorging. Steven blinked however as he realised how suddenly quiet it was. He turned with a raised eyebrow and found everyone staring back at him. They all widened their eyes and returned to their individual tasks in an unconvincing manner. Steven chuckled a little before returning his own attention to the turtle next to him. "I've abandoned you twice already because I thought you were too weak. Hell I still do." he sighed, looking away from the curious Pokémon. It cocked its head to the side as it listened. "But… But well." he began again with another smile on his face. "If you'd let me I'd like to make you stronger. Even stronger than a Charmander," he smiled down at the water type. Kim raised an eyebrow as she listened in, almost chuckling at the scene.

"Squir! Squirtle!" the turtle Pokémon cried happily, leaping up and down in place.

"Awesome!" he laughed, engulfing the water type in a hug. "Now you won't be useless anymore!" the boy claimed with a smile as he held the monster by its shoulders. It lost its smile and frowned at him. "Oh, sorry." he chuckled, wincing a little. "Oh! Hey look at this!" he exclaimed suddenly and with a brightened grin he opened his red jacket and took out the Boulder Badge he obtained previously, showing it to the blinking Squirtle. "It's a Boulder Badge! I got it from Brock the Gym Leader remember?" he grinned at the Pokémon and it's face brightened up.

"Squirtle!" the little water type replied enthusiastically, smiling up at its trainer.

"And that was _without_ your help Squirtle. We'll be finished getting all the badges in no time at all!" Steven grinned at the Squirtle, clenching his badge hand into a confident fist.

"I wouldn't get ahead of yourself kid." Kim smiled over at them as she rested her arms on her raised knees. The two looked over with blinks. "Kanto has some pretty tough Gyms ahead of just Brock you know." she stated. The two only stared at her. She sighed. "You guys are gonna clean up out there." she conceded, drooping her eyes at the two who in turn both whooped and joined opened fists, grinning as they did so. "He's a bad influence on that Squirtle I swear," Kim sighed as she watched with a small scowl on her face.

"Well a Pokémon is always supposed to emulate its trainer right?" Daisy pointed out with a chuckle. The trainer merely made a face at her. She laughed again and turned 'round to the quiet Kevin who currently was busy polishing off an amber coloured object in his hands, lit by the fire. "What's that?" she asked curiously, scooting over next to him to manage a closer look at the item in question. Kevin looked up with an expectant smile however was swiftly interrupted.

"_That_ is the 'amber' they had back in Pewter museum. By now they're probably screaming over it," Kim giggled as the amber was mentioned.

"Oh yeah I remember that," Daisy murmured as she stared at the golden coloured sphere in the young man's hand. "You… stole it?" she asked with a raise of her eyes and eyebrows. The adept thief only grinned at her. "It's not right to do that you know. And considering it's an important item of research you just stole too," she grinned back, prodding him with her finger.

"Well true." he winced a little in defeat. "Better stealing from the ICL than poor individual Pewter huh?" he shot back with another grin. Kim could be heard chuckling at his words and Daisy turned with a curious blink to find the older girl laying on her jacket, staring up at the ceiling of the cavern and her legs raised and crossed together. Daisy kept her red eyebrow raised but turned back to the grinning Kevin.

"ICL." Daisy repeated. Kevin nodded. "You mean the Indigo Conference League don't you?" she asked.

"Yeah those self-righteous bastards," he shot back with a quick scowl. Kim groaned.

"Please don't get him started," she implored tiredly. Daisy gave the unseen girl's face a sympathetic look before returning her attention to Kevin.

"You have something against them?" she asked. Kim's hand slapped at her forehead. Kevin snorted.

"Something against them? I hate them. They've made my life – and probably countless others – a living hell," he shot back quickly, returning his own attention to dusting off the golden amber in his hand.

"I highly doubt that." Daisy laughed at the boy a little. "They've made things better for us I mean if it weren't for them we'd still be using wind up Poké balls," she pointed out as she mimed the wind up process with a small grin.

"She gotcha there Kev." Kim grinned from her position, tilting her head to the side. He waved the girl off with a tired groan. Daisy giggled a little.

"Well why do you hate them so much? What did they do that was so wrong?" she asked. His glare 'rounded on her.

"What, apart from nearly destroy Pewter and all the residents?" he shot back in a cheeky tone. She winced slightly. She remembered reading an article on that albeit wrote in a very positive version of what it _could_ have been. "They murdered my Parents and tore down their house while they were still sleeping in it," he replied with a sigh as he dusted the amber off next to the fire. Suddenly however the two were interrupted and a grinning Steven shot right next to the wide eyed young man, accompanied by a smiling Squirtle which was perched on his shoulder.

"This just got interesting!" he grinned. Daisy sighed at him and Kevin glared at the boy. He blinked but Kevin sighed and returned his attention to the amber in his hands.

"Well how do you mean? Certainly that can't be the case maybe it was just a mix up or something," Daisy tried with a shaky laugh. She didn't like the way the conversation was turning. He looked over at her through the corner of his eye contemptuously.

"A mix up? Aye that's exactly what it was excuse me," Kevin shot back, an obvious air of sarcasm to his voice as he kept his eyes glued to the object in possession.

"Come on Kev don't grill the poor girl." Kim reprimanded with a frown as she sat up, an arm resting on her raised right knee. He only huffed at her. "Apparently the ICL tore down his house when he was just a kid and covered the whole deaths up," she whispered, leaning in to the blinking girl and boy.

"For a crack den no less!" Kevin shot in angrily, whirling his head 'round to the blinking party of three. Kim groaned and leaned back again.

"You know I don't think this is the right thing to be talking about in front of a couple of kids Kev." Kim pointed out with a small groan. "Hell _we_ shouldn't even know about it," she finished with a hushed whisper, glaring at him.

"Doesn't matter Kim they have a right to know," he replied with a frown.

"Kids deserve to know about crack dens. God what next?" Kim sighed as she lay back down on her jacket, bringing an arm up to rest on her face in exasperation.

"What's a crack den?" Steven asked with a blink staring at the two curiously. His Squirtle and Daisy both watched with equal vigour. Kevin winced a little.

"Uh well." he began uncertainly, making strange hand gestures as he spoke. "It's uh. Well it's when um," he sighed, scratching his head. Kim chuckled.

"Oh I know!" Daisy chimed in, raising her index finger into the air. Steven and his Squirtle turned with simultaneous blinks. "It's when you drink too much coffee and you get so hyper you can't stand still. You know how adults love that stuff," she grinned at the blinking Steven and Squirtle whom both grinned and nodded back at her.

Kevin exchanged a frown before giving each other a single grin and shrug. "Yeah coffee. See that's what happens when it's like uh, crushed!" he smiled in his own explanation as the on watching three all listened intently. "Yeah! They crush the coffee granules and there you are! Crack!" he smiled, his face cracking at ends. Kim snorted.

Daisy raised a suspicious red eyebrow at him. "I thought they did that for coffee anyway," she pointed out. Kevin's smile left him immediately and he frowned, eyes widening. Kim sat up immediately, a grin on her face.

"They did?" Steven asked with a curious blink.

"They uh. Yeah they did," Kevin murmured, scratching his head again.

"Yeah but they use those crushed granules and put them through a processor to make the crack," Kim shot in quickly as she raised herself on her elbows, grinning a little. Daisy stared at her with a suspicious look on her face.

"Wow that's pretty cool!" Steven exclaimed as he smiled openly, his Squirtle doing the same. "I wanna get some of that stuff now, don't you Squirtle?" he asked with a grin, earning a nod from the exuberant water type. However they did not seem to notice the two thieves snigger at the boy.

"Nah I don't think that's such a good idea kid." Kevin grinned in, earning a blink from the trainer and his Pokémon. "You're already as out of it as you'll probably get," he chortled at him. The young trainer only blinked at him and exchanged a simultaneous shrug with his Pokémon.

"Well anyway." Daisy began, folding her arms and raising a tentative eyebrow at him. "What is it you're thinking of doing with that amber?" she asked, pointing over at the object in question and the thief youth blinked as she spoke before grinning up at her.

"Well we've still to decide really. We could either sell it on the open market," Kevin began with a mischievous grin on his face, looking over at the watching Kim.

"Or hold it for ransom," she shot back with an equally sly grin.

"Ransom!" the two suddenly exclaimed simultaneously, laughing as they did so.

"It's wrong to do that you know," Daisy reprimanded with a small sigh, folding her arms and glowering at the two.

"Ooh la di da." Kevin shot back with a rhetoric grin. "Well it's also wrong to murder someone's parents carelessly then cover it up for a fucking crack den," he added with a contrasting scowl, returning to dusting off the amber in his hands. Daisy grimaced.

"That word's awesome," Steven chuckled as he listened in, crossing his legs as he did so.

"What murder?" Kevin asked with a confused blink.

"Nope. Fucking." he replied with an innocent enough smile. Kevin winced as Kim glared at him though Daisy looked away with a small wince of her own.

"Sorry you two, Kev gets a little carried away at times. If you can try to forget everything you heard huh?" Kim asked with a nervous chuckle. Steven stared at her with a frown before grinning at her.

"Sorry mate it's implanted in my head now. Besides it's too awesome to let go now," he said. She sighed.

"I know enough anyway. My older sisters get a little rambunctious," Daisy said with a smile, earning a single grin from the thief girl.

"Wow you have _sisters?_" Steven asked with widened eyes, turning 'round to the girl immediately. She blinked at him.

"Well yeah," she replied with a frown, staring back at him.

"Man I wish I had a sibling," he murmured as he directed his eyesight toward the ground.

"No you don't trust me," Daisy chuckled, shaking her head at him. He cocked his head to the side.

"Why not?" he asked. She winced as the question reached her ears and Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"So uh where you from kid?" Kevin asked with a smile. The boy quickly turned and grinned along with his Squirtle, seemingly forgetting all about Daisy. The red head girl mouthed a thank you to the thief.

"Pallet town," he grinned at him. Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"Pretty far," he complimented, grinning back lightly at him.

"I know," the young trainer beamed, shutting his eyes as he placed both his arms behind his head in a casual manner befitting the boy. Kevin caught the young boy's overconfidence and almost laughed himself.

"Well best not get too confident kid. I heard the Kanto League Gyms are no pushovers," he shot back with a smile, pocketing the amber and folding his arms at him.

"Pah! That one in Pewter was rock and _ground_ based. Everyone knows those types fail when they put together." the young Pallet bound trainer grinned. "Even her," he added quietly, frowning as he edged his thumb at the red headed girl behind him, whose ear in turn twitched as she was referenced.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked in a dangerous and low tone, narrowing her eyes as she leaned in.

"Nothing at all ha, ha." the young boy laughed his comment off nervously before quickly turning to the chuckling Kevin again. "So uh where _you_ from?" he asked, his expression desperately pleading for a change in subject. He obliged with a laugh.

"Actually I'm not from Kanto and neither is she," he replied amiably. Both Steven and Daisy blinked simultaneously at him.

"Well we _think_ I'm not from Kanto," Kimberly cut in with a single raise of her left index finger.

Steven raised an eyebrow in further confusion. "Huh?"

"Never mind," the girl chuckled. His frown changed to a small scowl.

"Kid we're from Johto." Kevin cut in quickly enough, smiling as he did so. "And before you ask where it is it's to the west of Kanto." he explained. Steven merely stared at him wordlessly. "What?" he asked, frowning.

"I don't think he expected there to be another country just next to this one," Daisy giggled. Kevin chortled, nodding.

"Well hold on just a dern minute. If that's true then what are you doing stealing stuff here?" Steven shot in with a suspicious look, folding his arms as he stared at the young man in an interrogative manner. Kevin's smile faded into a small wince and he exchanged a look with Kim.

"Well uh that's a long story really," he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he did so.

"We got kicked out of Johto," Kim grinned in, earning a double blink from the two children. Kevin groaned a little.

"Kicked out?" Daisy asked.

"Yeah we got caught selling fake HP ups and stuff like that. You know those things that raise your Pokémon's effort values," he admitted with a guilty frown. Steven nodded with an interested expression. He remembered Ross mentioning effort values once to him but decided not to pay attention much to the concept anyway.

"Guess we know not to buy anything from you huh?" Daisy grinned, earning a nervous chuckle from the two.

"Johto though huh?" Steven smiled, bringing his knees closer to himself as he looked into the cave's distance.

"Yep it's a haven compared to this place," Kevin sighed as he frowned, his eyes glazing over as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Come on Kev Kanto isn't all that bad," Kim laughed, grinning over at him.

"Yeah! This is where I was born you maggot!" Steven added with an insulted pout in his expression.

"Okay, okay sorry." Kevin chuckled, warding the boy off as if he were a fire breathing dragon. "I'm just a little homesick is all," he sighed with a frown, looking down at the floor beneath him. Silence. Steven lost his childish pout and frowned as he stared at the melancholy thief.

"Tell you what Kevin." Steven began, placing a sympathetic left hand to rest on his shoulder. The young man raised a brown eyebrow as he looked up at the trainer. "I'm gonna help you get back to your home," he added with a grin. The thief only blinked at him.

Before the two thieves burst out laughing. Steven blinked furiously as he looked from Kevin to Kim and back again.

"Sorry to burst your bubble kid but we're kinda stuck here. The ICL banned us from even setting foot on Johto soil," he smiled sadly in reply. Steven frowned and lowered his eyesight however scowled a little and raised his head again to face the young man.

"I don't care I'll manage it somehow," he proclaimed. Kevin blinked.

"And how do _you_ know you'll manage it?" he asked with a humorous raise of his eyebrow. Steven grinned back.

"I just will," he shot back with a confident look in his eyes, clenching his fist and raising it as if for added effect. Kevin chuckled as he exchanged a grinning look with the amused Kim.

"Thanks kid we appreciate it." he laughed before standing from his position and taking out a sleeping bag from a backpack and laying it on the rocky floor. Steven blinked before turning and finding the two girls doing the same. Shrugging he took off his own backpack and began searching for his own sleeping bag. Smiling as his hands came upon it, he pulled out the bag and grinned at its design. Numerous flame patterns were engraved on it with pictures of Charmanders, Charmeleons and even Charizards accompanying it.

"Sorry Squirtle I like fire types no offence." he chuckled at the water type hanging on his shoulder. The turtle Pokémon only laughed with him, a sweat drop on its forehead. Finally after taking off his red cap, jacket and trainers he climbed into the sleeping bag after returning the Squirtle to its Poké ball. He sighed as he stared up at the rocky ceiling and he heard someone put out the fire next to him. "Hey guys?" he asked in the darkness.

"Yeah?" he heard Kevin reply.

"Are there any Gyms in Johto?"

"Plenty," Kim's voice giggled.

"Awesome." he smiled. "Guys?" he asked again.

"What is it this time?" Daisy murmured sleepily.

"You know how I can get to Johto?"

Daisy groaned. "Just get to sleep Steven. We'll all talk about it in the morning," she mumbled, her voice muffled probably by a pillow.

"Fair dos." the boy conceded with a frowning sigh, however grinned again as his energy returned to him. He felt as giddy as a child during Christmas day. Reaching over to his red jacket at his right side he took out the pinned Boulder badge and stared at it, resting his head on his pillow as he did so. It glowed a dull grey light in the cave's darkness and he grinned as he clenched his fist. _"Johto. Can't wait." _he thought to himself and began to drift off to sleep.

--

A/N: Eleven thousand, one hundred and seventy nine words. Har, har. XD Ah the length. Seemed to drag on though I think. Ho well I enjoyed it regardless, hope you did too generic reader. Oh, ho, ho. Well in any case time for me to get back to hunting Route 217 for a Snorunt for some reason. Bloody forgot. XD Thanks all, till next time.


	7. Imposters and some Gym Leaders

**Chapter ****7: Imposters and some Gym Leaders **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its generic merchandise no matter how much I want to. Lol well.**

_A/N: __Yup here I am again instead of working on my more popular piece of work. XD Call me an idiot but oh well I'm enjoying this too much I guess. That and I seem to be getting a bit too many hits and not many reviews. OH I WONDER WHO'S TO BLAME? =O Well anyway. XD Enjoy. Oh but first as always…_

_**The Devil Deity:**__ T-They are?! =O Well. I guess I'm a little bit of a rascal myself. Har, har. XD _

_lol Subway. Never did eat out of thar. =O And YES just bread! =( YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE DO TO EVEN GET FOOD LIKE THAT?! BAAAW, BAAAW etc. XD_

_Ha, ha awesome ending. Damn that guy. XD _

_Well anyway cheers for the review man I appreciate it and hope ye enjoy the ol' chapter. _

_Oh yeah there's a generic song and movie reference early on in the fic. See if you can track eet down har, har. XD Anyway yeah without further ado enjoy. _

--

The Squirtle narrowed its eyes at its flying target as it kept itself lowered, quite literally pressing itself to the grass. Its master's orders were still clear as a bell to it. So far it had managed to power through the enemy trainer's team of a total of four enemy Pokémon _(the losers of which were an unfortunate Weedle, Caterpie, Metapod and Butterfree) _however now that it had lost more than half of its hit points, the little water type was ordered to stay hidden from its new enemy.

A Beedrill.

The Bug and Poison dual type narrowed its crimson coloured eyes as it flew low, searching the tall grass for its opponent with a noisy hum of its large wings. Its head moved here and there carefully and it slowly hovered its way over to the Squirtle, eliciting narrowed eyes from the Water type.

"Squirtle! Now's your chance, _take iiiit!_"

The Water type in reference widened its eyes as it recognised its trainer's voice and acting upon its orders it vaulted itself suddenly from its hidden position, allowing the nearby Beedrill and its master to catch wind of its attack albeit however in too late a time. The turtle Pokémon let out a battle cry as it leaped over its surprised enemy and taking its chance it spat out a stream of water, directly aiming at its wings before flipping over the Beedrill, landing safely on the grass behind it.

"Beedrill just shake it off!" a boy from the sidelines called, obviously its trainer. He was dressed in a white shirt, blue shorts and a straw hat.

"Face it kid you've lost!" the other boy grinned at him, bringing his thumb over his nose in a confident gesture. He wore a red cap, red jacket, black shirt and blue jeans. A red headed girl next to the boy rolled her eyes at the scene as she folded her arms.

"Yeah right! I'm just gettin' my game on!" the straw hat wearing boy shot back with a pout before turning to his Beedrill. "Beedrill turn around and use Twineedle!" he ordered. The Bug Pokémon in question however seemed to drone a little before floating down to the ground. "What? Beedrill what's the matter?" the boy asked, an inquisitive frown on his face.

"Ha, ha, ha! Just as I expected!" the red dressed boy grinned his annoying grin before thrusting a finger at the low humming Beedrill. "Now Squirtle while its wings are recovering!" he shouted out and the turtle shot out a enthusiastic response in spite of its tired condition. Gritting its teeth together the small Water type lowered its head and began to thump its little feet quickly, still standing in a low position.

"No Beedrill! You have to recover!" the young trainer exclaimed desperately, widening his eyes.

"Now Squirtle!" the Water type's trainer grinned as he thrust an index finger at the standing target. "_No mercy!_" he ordered loudly, smirking in an almost mad fashion as he did so. The red haired girl raised an eyebrow as she stared at him strangely.

"Squi- _Squiiiirtle!_" the little Pokémon proclaimed, ending its war cry in a long and loud roar as it began its surprisingly fast charge at its enemy, its teeth bared at the poor Bug and Poison type. And finally it crashed its outstretched shoulder against the Beedrill's back, sending it sprawling down to the ground face first.

"Nooo! Beedrill!" the monster's trainer called with a whine.

"What a shot!" the red capped boy grinned, pulling back his outstretched finger and clenching it into a fist. "Now for the finisher Squirtle! Do it!" he smirked. The Water type shouted loudly in an almost angry tone before it followed up its Tackle attack with one more, only this time leaping into the air and plummeting straight for the Beedrill's exposed body. The Beedrill gave one last loud buzz as its enemy's hard shell crashed against its back and finally lay limp against the grassy floor, eyes crossed out. The Squirtle seemed to grin before it used its enemy's now fainted body as leverage to back flip off the ground, landing safely.

"Beedrill!" the boy called with a worried expression on his face as he raced to the fallen Pokémon's side, inspecting the damage.

"Ha! And that's the way uh huh, uh huh, we like it!" the red dressed trainer laughed as he thrust his right arm into the air as a victory pose, his grinning but tired Squirtle managing the same. "KC and the Sunshine Band," he mumbled, giving shifty eyes as he did so.

"Good are we done?" the red head sighed as she watched, arms folded and a small scowl on her face. The red capped boy returned her a black look back, glaring.

"Hey if _you_ were battling I'd sit and wait you know. Without complaining as well," he complained, pouting like a child. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Let's just move on Steven. And besides I think your Squirtle's severely tired," the girl pointed out with a frown as she looked over at the heavy breathing Water type. Steven only grinned.

"Eh Squirtle can handle it. Right man?" the boy called over and the small turtle Pokémon turned with a smile, nodding as it recovered. "See?" Steven grinned at the red head earning only a glare in return. However the Squirtle's chestnut eyes abruptly widened and it fell to the ground, face first.

"You were saying?" the girl shot back with her own grin. Steven gave her a small growl before running over to his fallen Squirtle.

"Must just be tired from all that exp." he murmured as he inspected the Pokémon's body before suddenly grinning. "Man with all this battling it's sure to evolve soon," he wondered aloud with a confident grin before recalling the tired turtle using its Poké ball.

"You know you're gonna lose someday."

Steven blinked at the claim and turned to his red headed companion who in turn shrugged. He raised a brown eyebrow and turned his head back to his former opponent, the bug catcher boy.

"And when you do, you'll know how I feel," the boy with the straw hat claimed as he glared at the red capped boy, cradling his Beedrill in his small arms as he did so.

"Sorry to disappoint you kid but I've already lost once before," he shot back with another confident grin. He heard Daisy sigh at him.

"Not like this." the boy replied with a glare before he softened his expression and turned his gaze down to his fainted Beedrill. Steven's face fell and he frowned as he watched, his arms folded. "Not like this," he murmured shakily, staring down at the unconscious Pokémon. Steven raised a single eyebrow, his mouth forming a curious 'o'. The bug catcher gave the Pallet bound trainer a final glower before turning and walking off, presumably for a nearby Pokémon centre. Steven watched him leave with a glazed look in his eyes before suddenly shaking it off.

"Pff. Yeah right. Me lose like him, that's a good one," he grinned to himself. Daisy rolled her eyes again for the umpteenth time that day.

"Haven't you ever heard of the saying 'no matter how good you are, there's always going be someone better than you'?" she tried, raising an eyebrow as she stared at him. He turned to her and blinked once before smirking again.

"Better than me? Now I _know_ you're joking." he grinned, placing his hands into his jeans pockets and continuing on the road. Daisy sighed but decided to leave it at that, merely grateful for the fact they were pressing on. "So what's the next stop?" he asked with an amiable smile, turning to the girl on his side. She nodded at him, brought out a map from her small red bag and opened it up.

"Well we're heading to-" the girl began with her own smile however her face fell instantly as the landmark came into her view. Steven blinked at her.

"Heading to where?" he asked. She gulped a little.

"Cerulean City," she replied shakily. He raised an eyebrow but turned his attention back to Route four's road.

"So what's in Cerulean City? A Gym I hope," he asked with another smile.

"Well yes," she said, lowering the map and placing it back into her red bag. He raised another eyebrow at her but shrugged it off nonetheless.

"So you got any idea what type of Pokémon they use at this Gym? I wanna prepare so I can kick their tails in," he grinned at her. She cringed as he looked at her and he blinked again.

"Listen would you mind taking the Gym challenge alone, I kinda have things to get done by myself. Girl stuff," she chuckled at him. He frowned but shrugged and nodded at her anyway.

"Just be there when I win, after all I'll want a neutral party as a witness to my greatness," he grinned at himself as he leaped down a small hill, turning to await his companion.

"A witness to your greatness huh?" Daisy grinned back at him as she followed carefully. "Why do I get the feeling when you fall it'll be hard?" she asked as they continued. He turned to her with another curious raise of his eyebrow. "Very hard," she added, grinning.

"See that'll never happen 'cause I'm just too damn awesome." he shot back with his own confident smirk, shutting his eyes as he folded his arms at her. Daisy only rolled her eyes at him. Finally however in the midst of their terribly interesting conversation the two had managed to reach the presumed end of Route four and a sign awaited the two at the end of a small gate leading into a city.

_Cerulean City – A Mysterious Blue Aura Surrounds It_

"Hah! Great we're here!" Steven grinned as he laid eyes on the open gate leading into the small city. Daisy winced as the first large building of Cerulean came into view.

"Listen I'm gonna head off now. See you outside the Gym okay?" she smiled at the boy, walking off in a southern direction. He nodded and grinned back, saluting off the girl before he continued on by himself, his hands in his pockets as he did so. And yet he frowned. Several buildings were on fire as screams and shouts echoed throughout the city, people running here and there as they passed him.

"Oh no." he murmured with a wince, his eyes darting for a safe place. A burned building to his right caught his eye and he darted over to it immediately, pressing his back to it. "Again?" he muttered to himself as he narrowed his eyes at the chaos that represented itself throughout the city. However he gasped and widened his eyes as a young boy about his size caught his eye. He grinned under his red cap as he set a Charmeleon on a building not far away from him, burning it with a presumed Ember attack. "Again?" Steven mumbled again, blinking as he stared at the young boy.

"_Well." he began, looking down at the young boy before almost wincing. "I was given this sketch of the perpetrator. Here," the chief explained before he handed the Pallet bound trainer a small notebook. Steven took it and with another confused blink he examined the paper in front of him._

_And widened his eyes._

_A grinning, well-drawn figure dressed exactly like him was frozen in place, set running in an eastern direction, his eyes hiding under the red and white cap that adorned his head._

That same boy dressed impeccably identical to him seemed to be the chaos's main stirrer. Steven saw his chance and with a small grin he leapt out of his hiding place. Weaving in and out of the screaming men and women of Cerulean, he narrowed his eyes at the grinning Charmeleon trainer and brought out a Poké ball from his jacket, swiftly pressing the little button on front to enlarge the sphere. However as he got closer and closer to the criminal he blinked as he noticed the identically dressed trainer's abnormal size. He was big enough to be at the same height as his own father he noted but shook it off with a scowl on his face.

"Squirtle knock out that Charmeleon with a Water Gun!" Steven shouted out as he threw the enlarged Poké ball at his new enemy's feet and the trainer seemed to notice this with a turn and scowl. The Squirtle did appear out of the sphere but…

It breathed heavily as it stood on its hands and knees. Steven's face fell as he registered the Pokémon's obvious fatigue and the enemy trainer and his Charmeleon both burst out laughing at him. Steven scowled at the two and he took off his backpack, beginning to search through it.

"Desperate times." he began before grinning and taking out a spray bottle. "Call for desperate measures." he finished with a smirk before spraying the bottle on the tired Squirtle. A few eventless seconds passed before the Squirtle's eyes widened and it frowned as it leaped back up into a fighting stance. "Ha! All right Squirtle let's go for it now! Water Gun!" he ordered with a confident grin. The Squirtle grinned and nodded before leaping at the Charmeleon and letting loose its usual stream of water, in an air strike fashion.

"Charmeleon." the enemy trainer ordered in a low voice, grinning as he folded his arms at the boy in a superior form. The fire type nodded with its own grin and it quickly cart wheeled the Water Gun easily. Steven's eyes widened in sudden surprise before he narrowed his eyes into a scowl this time.

"I can see how you wanna dress like me. Oh yeah I can _smell_ your envy guy." Steven began with a smirk however, folding his own arms at the man and he raised an eyebrow at the taller boy. "Why _wouldn't_ you wanna be me?" he asked rhetorically shutting his eyes as he shrugged at the man and his Squirtle imitated him silently and perfectly. The man and his Charmeleon stared emotionlessly frowning before they exchanged a scowl with each other. "But yeah not bad though I got some tricks up my sleeve too _faker_." Steven shot back with a tone of venom in his voice. The trainer only grinned at him. He growled at the deep voiced man. "Squirtle go for a Tackle this time!" Steven ordered. The Squirtle only nodded and done as it was told, rushing toward the battle stance Charmeleon.

"Scary Face." the low voiced trainer ordered with a small grin. And the Charmeleon grinned toothily before it pulled a face at the Water type, halting its forward march absolutely.

"Agh! What the-" Steven managed out with a gasp as he blinked at the scene.

"Now Dragon Rage." the impostor smirked. The fire type gave a proclamation of its own name before it narrowed its aqua marine eyes and began charging a bluish flame in its mouth.

"N-No Squirtle!" Steven gasped out as he reached for his frozen Water type however he couldn't seem to move.

"Steven! Where are you?!" a voice called and Steven gasped again, darting his head to his right. The man growled lowly and scowled.

"Charmeleon enough. Let's go," he quickly ordered and the fire type frowned in disappointment before nodding. The trainer narrowed his eyes and recalled his Pokémon through its portable sphere before turning and running off. Steven exclaimed in surprise as he was suddenly brought to the ground from his own force and he huffed out.

"No wait!" he called after the running man. "We're not finished yet!" the boy shouted out, raising a hand as if to somehow stop the man albeit in vain. He growled at the disappearing trainer before directing a punch to the ground. "Dammit. I had him!" he hissed to himself, gritting his teeth as he did so.

"You had who Steven?"

The red clothed boy blinked before looking up. A frowning Daisy stared down at him.

"That guy! H-He was pretending to be me!" the boy exclaimed indignantly as he shot up from the ground, scowling at the girl.

"Sure you aren't just getting a little big headed about yourself again?" she chuckled at him. Steven scowled at her and made ready to shoot back an insult of some sort however a beefy hand slapped onto his right shoulder, immediately surprising the boy and he halted in his tracks. He decided to look up at the wide eyed Daisy and she nodded at him, as if telling him to turn. He gulped down hard before turning his head and finally his full body to the owner of hand behind him.

And his eyes widened.

A scowling blue dressed chubby man frowned down at him, a cigarette placed in his mouth. It was obvious he came from the local police Steven gathered but one thing had managed to elude the boy.

Why did he have lipstick on…?

However before he could ponder this question further, his Squirtle leaped to his defence, placing itself in between its trainer and the chubby man.

"Oh my unlucky stars that's not a man." Steven managed out with a small gasp as he widened his eyes to dinner plates. The newly recognised police woman's eye twitched at the boy as she scowled at him and Daisy struggled to hold in a laugh.

"You're comin' with me kid." the woman claimed in a deep voice that would've made Steven giggle like a little schoolgirl were it not for the fact she were dragging him currently. His Squirtle and Daisy both immediately protested, attempting to stop the chubby woman from dragging the boy along the road.

"W-What for?!" he asked, gritting his teeth as he attempted to pull his arm out of the woman's strong grip.

"For causing the city of Cerulean another riot with that Charmeleon o' yours now shut yer yap," she shot back calmly as they continued.

"For your information I have a _Squirtle!_" he finished with a loud shout and the woman blinked, letting go instantly before turning around to the three. Steven blew on his red shaded left arm with a wince before scowling up at the woman.

"Lemme see yer Pokémon kid," the woman demanded lowly, staring at him with a contemptuous look on her beefy face. Steven made a face at her but a kick at his back shin from Daisy was enough to have him move.

"Fine." he mumbled, his hands disappearing inside his jacket before he brought out two more Poké balls and opened them up manually in his hands. A Nidoran and Rattata both squeaked on attention, standing up straight. "Happy?" the boy asked in a sarcastic tone, smiling at her as he shrugged his arms at her. She narrowed her small beady eyes at him.

"That doesn't prove anything you could've just handed the Charmeleon to someone else we don't know about," she claimed, taking another drag on her cigarette. Steven's face fell instantly.

"Look. I wish I owned a Charmeleon I really do." he began with a low scowl however winced as his Squirtle frowned up at him. "No offence." he whispered down to the Water type earning a smiling nod. "But I don't! I was given a Squirtle instead by the whims of fate itself! So put _that_ in yer pipe and smoke it!" he shot back with an accusative point of his right index finger, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the woman.

"He's a poet and he doesn't know it!" Daisy began as she shot in the scene next to her friend, executing a sarcastic open mouthed smile, her eyes locked at the far side and the Pallet bound young boy imitated her, as if insulting the chubby woman.

"I'll bet he is." the woman stated in her deep voice, scowling down at the two preteens. However she surprised the youths by suddenly forcing her chubby face down to the wide eyed boy, glaring daggers at him. "Keep on your toes kid. 'Cause if we catch you not just in Cerulean but anywhere else you'll be facing more than just a life sentence." she threatened staring directly into the boy's eyes and he stared back his expression in an almost frightened look. She grinned and blew some smoke into his face, eliciting him into a coughing fit. "See ya kids." the police woman finished before standing up and walking off in the opposite direction she originally came from.

"H-Hold o-" Steven began, trying to call after the large woman however the smoke prevented him from doing so and he coughed again. Daisy winced as she blew the remaining smoke away with her hands.

"It's okay Steven. They don't have any proof on you," she smiled as she waved away the last of the bad smelling smog away. Steven's scowl 'rounded on her.

"That's not the point Daisy. I mean fair dos I _do_ kinda look like that guy that I battled but still," he mumbled to himself with a small wince as he stared down at the ground as if in thought.

"Yeah I saw that. Who was it you were battling?" Daisy asked as she frowned at him, raising a red eyebrow. He looked back up with his own frown.

"No idea. But that Charmeleon of his was incredibly strong. I gotta have one," he murmured, clenching his right fist as he did so.

"Uh Steven." she called. He blinked and looked over. She pointed down to the downtrodden looking Squirtle. He winced immediately.

"Lol whoops." he laughed nervously before kneeling down next to the Pokémon. "Sorry Squirtle didn't mean anything by it. After all you're gonna beat that Charmeleon _and _get stronger than any one out there!" he rallied with a grin, earning an enthused nod from the Water type. "But first methinks we should stop by the Centre and then have a bite to eat. How's that sound?" he asked his team and the three Pokémon all gave happy squeaks at him, leaping into the air as they did so. "Ha, ha! Well you've all earned it with these winnings!" he grinned, showing the team the ICL brand wallet positively bursting with Poké dollars. They all beamed at him. "Especially you Squirtle, keep this up and I'm gonna have to get a bigger wallet." the boy smirked and began giving the Water type a few playful punches, the starter Pokémon joining in with a grin. He laughed and urged the small turtle up on his shoulder before standing and his Nidoran and Rattata both stood at his side. Daisy chuckled at the scene. "You wanna join us Dais? Grub's on me," he grinned, showing the girl the wad of cash. And truth be told she _was_ a little surprised at the boy's winnings from Mount Moon and Route four though she tried not to show it.

"Nah I got places to be, people to see you know how it is," she smiled at him in reply, politely declining with a wave of her hand. Steven only shrugged, still grinning.

"More for us huh guys?" he said. The gang of Pokémon all exclaimed in agreement, earning a chuckle from the two trainers. "All right see you at the Gym Dais," he grinned at her, saluting her off and earning a cheerful wave goodbye the boy turned and began the march to the nearest city's café.

Daisy's smile left her as the city's Gym caught her eye however she shook it off and began walking further south.

--

The café he had chosen was a simple, unfashionable one. He didn't like the fancy ones with the rich food, he could live better with junk food anyway. He smiled as he breathed in the building's aroma and it was a pleasant one that smelled faintly of cooked fries and burgers.

"Just what the doctor ordered." Steven smiled as he licked his lips before turning and choosing on the table nearest the door with a window at his right side. He liked window seats, that way if he was bored he could look outside. His Squirtle, Nidoran and Rattata all sat near his feet at the table's left smiling up at him. He grinned however as the café's open radio began a song. "I'm pushin' an elephant up the stairs, I'm tossin' up PAUNCH! lines that were never there, over my shoulder a piano falls, crashin' to the grooound." he sang along quietly, his right index and forefinger lightly batting on his hand to add to the beat of the song. Before he could even reach for the café's menu however a person – he presumed one of the café's waitresses – suddenly stopped by his table and he looked up at them with a blink.

It was a young woman, her auburn hair in a ponytail and her fringe hanging out over her eyes. Though Steven thought it was a good idea to do so as her right eye had a large black line under it. He didn't think the poor girl noticed it however. And yet her facial appearance wasn't what managed to stun the young boy, it was her apparel. She wore a mixed white and black coloured tight fitting maid outfit that left quite obviously nothing to the imagination. Fortunately though, its meaning was lost on the twelve year old trainer.

"What's the deal with the outfit? Isn't it painful to wear?" he asked with a curious blink. She seemed to sigh at him, eyes drooping.

"Store regulation," she replied in a low, bored sounding voice. He blinked at her again.

"What do you mean?"

She glared at him a little. "It attracts more customers," she said. He raised a brown eyebrow and took a quick look around the café. It seemed packed true but… Most of the customers were men. And the only women all seemed either related to the men already in the café or their girlfriends. Steven wondered why.

"Why is that?" he asked curiously.

"Look don't get cute with me wise guy. Now what do you want?" the waitress spat at him almost hatefully, glaring at him fully. He recoiled at her sudden verbal lashing and lowered his head, as if told off by a teacher.

"Uh well I'll have a cheeseburger and fries. And they'll have a large portion of fries to share," he replied quietly, lowering his red cap as he spoke. The young woman looked at him with a raised eyebrow before looking down to the wincing team of three Pokémon at the boy's side.

"Fine. That'll be fifteen Poké dollars." she said monotonously. The boy quickly went into his ICL brand wallet and took out three notes, handing them to the woman. She held the three notes in her hand and kept her stare on the boy, earning a blink from him. She immediately pointed up at a sign near him on the wall with her free hand.

_Please note, it is customary to tip the waitresses for their service. Thank you. _

"Oh!" Steven exclaimed, eyes widened before he smiled lightly and took out another coin, handing it to the young brunette. She eyed the coin distastefully before looking back up at the smiling boy with a scowl. He blinked at her before registering her silent question with another smile, going into his jacket pocket. He brought out two more coins and handed the woman them. She seemed to find the amount satisfactory before turning and walking off briskly. "Yeesh!" Steven whispered, exchanging winces with his Pokémon. He blinked however as he heard a minor slap echo in the café and he turned to his left to the two people sitting at the table a few feet away from him.

One of them was a grey moustached man dressed in gentlemen clothing and the other was an old woman dressed in a shawl and funnily enough, sunglasses Steven noted with an interesting raise of his eyebrow. The old woman seemed to be slapping the nervous man's hand with a scowl on her face and the old man laughed a little, a sweat drop forming on the corner of his head.

Steven narrowed his eyes at the two. He was _sure_ he recognised the two. But from where…? He widened his eyes as the two turned to make eye contact with him and he gasped, coughing a little before returning his attention to his table's menu, humming a tune to himself. He heard nothing else after that, bar the usual sounds of chat, radio music and café nonsense. However a form next to him began walking toward him and he put on a straight face, turning with a small smile on his face and inwardly sighed with relief.

It was the same waitress with the black bag under her eye and she scowled as she set down his cheeseburger and fries and the Pokémon's large plate of fries on the ground next to him.

"Thanks." he smiled at the woman. She growled at him with a glower before turning again and walking off. He gulped and winced again before shrugging with a small sigh and beginning his meal. He looked down in mid bite of his burger to see his Pokémon and earning a grateful smile from the three in response he grinned. After finishing off the bun he rolled his eyes and fought back from groaning as another pair of feet stopped at his table.

"Excuse me young man." the owner of the feet began in a raspy voice. He raised an eyebrow and looked up to find the same old woman that had slapped her friend's hand a minute ago. "But may I have the salt?" she asked in a shaky voice, using a cane to balance herself. Steven blinked at her, curious for a moment before smiling and nodding, grabbing the condiment from his table and raising it for her. She leaned in to take the salt and somewhere behind her sunglasses Steven was absolutely sure he saw a glint in her eyes.

And then she collapsed on top of him.

His blue eyes widened to dinner plates as he gasped, grimacing instantly. His arms went to his sides immediately and he shut his eyes and nose instantly as the woman's perfume began to creep into his nostrils.

"Oopsy daisy!" the woman laughed and there was a little shuffle before she managed to pull herself off of him with a small grunt. Smiling down at the shaking boy she held the salt in her right hand, her other hand carefully hidden behind her. "Sorry about that. Thanks for the salt little rabbit." she thanked him with a final smile and nod of her head before turning and beginning her hobbled walk up to her table again. Steven watched her leave with a non blinking wide eyed stare before he suddenly whimpered and began to dust himself off madly, earning blinks from his Pokémon.

"I need a bath now." he moaned grimacing as sniffed at his jacket and he could still smell the old woman's perfume. The three Pokémon beneath him all chuckled at him and he glared at them. "I'd like to see how _you'd_ all fare on that creepy old woman." he pouted childishly. Turning with another sigh he winced as the woman's perfume reached his nostrils and as he began to start at his fries he toyed with one nonchalantly, resting his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. He supposed he could pass the old woman's perfume off as another girl's if Daisy ever asked anything about it. _"No." _he thought as he scrunched the left side of his cheek up in mid wonder. Daisy was pretty smart herself and she'd somehow come to _this_ same conclusion, how though he didn't know. No better to stay quiet about the whole thing and if she asks just feign innocence. _"Yeah girls like that mysterious thing." _he smiled to himself as he bit into his salty fry before turning and staring out the window next to him. A number of fire fighters were finishing off putting the fires of the city out as a few construction workers began to repair the damage. He frowned as he watched. He'd better be careful in the future. He only managed to prove his innocence last time with proof that he didn't use his impostor's Charmeleon. Ironically enough the Pokémon he wanted more than anything.

He chuckled lightly at the irony and looked down at his Pokémon. The boy noted their plate was running light and he smiled as he took his own plate of remaining fries and emptied them onto his Pokémon's. They all blinked at his actions and looked up at him strangely. He only shook his head with a smile at them and they shrugged, returning to their meal. He smiled at the three and folded his resting arms on the table before letting his eyes wander around the café nonchalantly. He frowned however as he came across the sign he read beforehand.

_Please note, it is customary to tip the waitresses for their service. Thank you. _

He winced a little as he remembered the seemingly angry waitress that gave him his cheeseburger and pressed at him silently for the tip. Maybe he should've given her a bit more, he thought. He turned to have a quick look around and found the same waitress that served him. Currently she seemed to be taking a chubby man's order at a table in the café's table in the far right corner. The man was dressed in a similar fashion to a biker and he grinned at her through his sunglasses. The two exchanged a few more words before she nodded, took his menu and began to walk off presumably to explain the man's order however the chubby man in question grinned again as he drew back his right hand before slapping it thusly on the woman's nearly bare rear. Steven cringed a little at the man's sudden slap and his eyes darted up to the young woman's face and he wasn't alone as many members of the café's attention had all been drawn to this current event, some even sucking in air through their teeth at the action. Everyone tensed as they awaited the woman's expected angry outburst and yet it never came. She halted suddenly as she felt the open hand attack to her rear but the only change to her miserable expression was a simple twitch of her right eye before she continued on her way. Some of the watchers gave a disappointed tut at the turn of events whereas the rest merely glared at the man for starting the possible volatile situation in the first place.

Yeah it'd have been a much better idea to hand her more, he thought.

He sighed and dug into his jacket's pocket for his wallet-

- and his eyes widened.

"What the-" he began in a murmur, his eyes slowly widening. He emptied both pockets of their contents which were in total a button, an old penny and a red Charmander watch. _"But that's stupid! Did I drop it or give it to Daisy…?" _he thought to himself wildly, sweating. _"No _that'd_ be stupid handing it to her. But then what else could have happened?"_ he narrowed his eyes, searching his memory banks for any falls he might've had that had possibly thrown the wallet out. And then his eyes widened.

"_Sorry about that. Thanks for the salt little rabbit."_

The old woman!

His eyes darted up to where he last saw the old buzzard and amazingly enough she was still there in her seat, grinning over at the old gentleman sitting across from her.

"But why would an old wom-" he began aloud with a curious stare, his eyes narrowed before her earlier words resounded in his head like a bell and with it he seen a young grinning face staring back at him in his mind.

"_All right, all right! Settle down rabbit." the girl frowned as she stood up, raising an eyebrow at the frantic boy._

"_Second time I've scared you rabbit," the girl giggled at him._

"Kim…!" he whispered out in an angry rasp, glaring at the supposed 'old' woman sitting a few seats away. He should've recognised it instantly; her skin didn't look old in the slightest. Silently berating himself he raised from his seat to confront the disguised girl however his sudden actions had managed to gain the attention of his concerned team of Pokémon. He smiled at the three amiably before waving them off, signalling no problem and they returned to their large meal. He looked back up with a scowl and began marching over to the grinning masquerades. Deciding to take the chance anyway he opened up his mouth. "Kim!" he shouted, earning the unwanted attention of many in the café but regardless he got what was desired. The old woman and man both turned to him instantly before whipping their heads back 'round, as if caught by a teacher talking in class. He grinned and finally standing at their table he leaned his elbow on the tablecloth rudely. "So how you two doin' huh? You left me and Daisy quickly enough without even a word," he began in his usual 'in your face' tone. The old man wearing sunglasses turned to him and frowned.

"I'm sorry old chap but I think you have us mistaken for someone else," he claimed in a refined accent. Steven smirked at him toothily.

"Nah I don't think so. Who else'd steal money from me the way you did. Eh _Kim?_" he grinned, finishing his sentence with a certain amount of venom in, leaning in to the old woman's side. She coughed awkwardly, clearly avoiding eye contact. "Oh by the way that perfume was a nice trick. I'll need to tell Daisy about it, hell maybe she'll like it. That you that come up with that one Kevin?" the boy grinned again, turning to the frowning old man.

"Listen I'm _very_ sorry old bean but you must have us mista-"

"And I'm telling you I _don't!_" Steven interrupted in a sudden angry tone, slapping his left fist against the couple's table. He couldn't tell but he was sure their eyes widened. "Now gimme my money back!" he shouted at the scowling old woman. He received no vocal reply, however a chubby man dressed in an apron stepped up across from him and frowned at the three. By now he realised everyone was staring at them and he cringed a little but kept his own scowl.

"Is there a problem here?" the chubby man asked lowly, his eyes narrowed. The gentleman laughed.

"No, not at all old boy! Our young companion here was just belly aching over a simple misunderstanding. We all seem to have accidentally mixed up our items together and so caused quite a ruckus. You were going to return his belonging to him weren't you dear?" he smiled at the apron wearing man before turning to his supposed wife. The woman smiled amiably back before turning to the scowling young Pallet boy and handing him out his familiar ICL brand wallet. He grinned as he took it from her swiftly however gasped lightly as she brought him in further quickly.

"We'll get you for that you meddler," she hissed into his ear, scowling as she did so. Steven blinked before smirking back at her.

"I'd like to see you try," he shot back and she grinned back for just a second before returning to her original position.

"Well in any case I think it's about time we left eh dear?" the old woman smiled daintily at the man across from her.

"Yes indeedy! So terribly sorry for all that bother young man," the old man smiled as he rose up from his seat and tucking it in as he affixed his cane readily.

"Hey no problem mate I got what _I_ wanted back from you so it's all cool," Steven grinned as he stuffed the wallet away back into his red coloured jacket.

"For now." the old man suddenly grinned as he walked by the boy, eliciting only a smirk from the brown haired trainer. "Come dear! Perhaps we can catch the Cerulean City show before the sales run out!" he boomed cheerily as the two old couple walked out the café. Steven's smirk lessened somewhat as he watched them, placing a single hand on his hip and the café's owner rolled his eyes before waving off the strange scene and walking off. Steven turned with a blink at the man before turning again with a satisfied grin. He walked up to the auburn haired waitress that served him previously and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned with the scowl on her face he had known her for so far.

"Listen hey I've seen the amount of ship you put up with in here sooo. Here." he smiled, opening up the wallet and handing her four more coins. However these coins weren't simple Poké dollars, they were five a piece. The woman gave a different expression this time however and only blinked at them. "And don't worry about it I got plenty left I am after all the best trainer in Cerulean as of this moment," the boy grinned confidently at her and she looked up with a raise of an eyebrow before smirking again and pocketing the coins.

"Thanks kid I appreciate that." she chuckled. The Pallet trainer only grinned and saluted her off before turning again and heading back to his table with another satisfied look on his face. Registering his team had finished off their meal he nodded to them.

"Let's head off to the centre now huh guys?" he nodded to the café's door with a smile, earning exuberant nods in reply. He smiled as he headed out the door before blinking and deciding to check his wallet for his balance just to be sure he wasn't throwing his money around.

And widened his eyes.

Kim had taken nearly everything out of the wallet bar his trainer card and sentimental items.

"_Agh hell!_" he screamed, suddenly alerting the team of Pokémon.

--

"_You were just a mistake!" _

"_Yeah you shouldn't have even been born!" _

"_Yeah! So go ahead and run away! It won't do you any good anyway!" _

Daisy frowned as she looked at the poster in front of her. A brightly wide smiling trio of girls covered in a water background all raised their arms as if in celebration. The one on the far left was a dark blue haired girl, the one on the right was light pink and finally the centre one was a bright blonde.

_Come see the Cerulean City Undersea Show! Daring acrobatics, rare water and ice type Pokémon on display and great memories! __Act fast! _

_As approved by the Kanto and Johto Indigo Conference League. _

_All Cascade Badge searchers please apply at the Cerulean Gym's main reception for information. _

Daisy sighed. She hadn't meant to go near the Gym but she couldn't help at least taking one close look at it. Deciding to head back now she began to turn.

"Heeey! Daisy!"

Her green eyes widened and she whipped 'round. A smiling Steven ran toward her, waving. He seemed to have come from the nearby Pokémon Centre. She forced herself to smile. He finally stopped in front of her and sighed before turning his head to his left, finding the large Gym next to him.

"Whoa so this is the Cerulean Gym huh?" Steven smiled as he looked up at the building above him.

"Yup that's it," Daisy replied with a nervous laugh, looking away from the boy with a worried look on her face.

"A Pokémon show huh?" Steven murmured as he leaned in to the poster in front of him with a curious blink. Daisy bit her lip as she attempted to slink away from the boy carefully. "Hey!" she stiffened, wincing. "Rare Pokémon!" he called. She turned with another forced smile and nod. He grinned at her and she raised a reddish eyebrow as she stared into his eyes. She knew that look.

"No Steven." she refused without even hearing what he had to say. He still only grinned that damn annoying grin at her. "Come on Steven I said no! And besides I explicitly _told_ you I wouldn't be watching your Gym battle this time!" the girl scowled, folding her arms indefinitely at him. Steven only smirked and waved the reply off.

"Aw come on Daisy. You have to loosen up _some_ time!" he grinned, quickly grabbing the red head's unguarded left wrist and rushing into the Gym. She widened her eyes and quickly spluttered in protest. He had managed to drag her into the Gym's entrance only before she wrestled her hand free and she scowled darkly at him, folding her arms. "Aww come on, come on, come on, come on pleeeease?" the boy asked, smiling his greatest smile. The one he used on his parents when he wanted something bought and very badly indeed. Daisy's once immovable scowl wavered and soon changed to a wary frown. She groaned as he gave a childish hopeful look in his eyes. "Okay fine." she gave in with a conceding sigh, shutting her eyes as she did so. Steven grinned instantly.

"Great!"

And with that they were speeding off to the receptionist.

Daisy's eyes widened and she grit her teeth as the two finally stopped at the counter and a frowning almost scowling woman regarded them with a smug look on her face. She was slim, black haired and sharp faced. She wore glasses and had a look about her that just screamed:

'_I may not be very high up in this career ladder right now but you better damn well show me the same respect you would the Gym Leader you impudent little shits.' _

Daisy remembered her instantly and avoided eyesight, Steven however in his usual idiotic pleasant nature only grinned at the woman. She narrowed her sharp eyes at him before turning to Daisy and then grinning. It wasn't a pleasant grin, it was more of a half hostile, half amusement one if that could even be said.

"Well hello there. Only been a couple of weeks hasn't it Miss Waterflower?" the receptionist smirked in her smug fashion, her head raised. Steven blinked as he traced the superior stare from the receptionist and the avoiding look in his friend's eyes.

"Uh. Sorry to interrupt ladies." the boy smiled nervously, chuckling as he did so. The woman's eyes turned to him with an immediate and sharp glare cutting his speech off prematurely.

"Miss Waterflower? I do believe you owe me an apology," the receptionist stated with another smirk on her cold features, turning to the red head in question once again. Daisy only looked up with a creasing scowl on her own face, meeting the woman's glare with her own.

"Well I don't believe I do," Daisy replied with a whisper, narrowing her eyes. The ebony haired woman's own eyes shot wide open and she growled lowly.

"Listen to me you spoiled little cretin," she shot back quick as you'd like, a venomous tone in her voice.

"Uh ladies? Don't you think that's eno-" Steven began with a nervous laugh before his eyes widened as the two females immediately snapped their heads to him with black looks on their faces. The red clothed boy shrank back wincing and the two took this as a sign to continue.

"Misty!" a voice suddenly boomed and the three all blinked before turning to the side, finding a folded armed youngish man staring back at them. He wore an aqua coloured, Miami themed shirt, an expensive looking gold watch, beige coloured trousers and finally shiny black shoes. His wavy blonde hair sat on top of his head like a bird's carefully designed nest. Steven raised a brown eyebrow at him and then at his red headed friend.

"Uncle Travis!" Daisy smiled brightly as she ran over to the man engulfing him in a hug and he laughed, smiling down at the red head. The man looked up with another smile however and regarded the staring boy with a nod before moving his eyes to the receptionist near him.

"Elizabeth. I trust you aren't giving Miss Waterflower here a hard time are you?" the blonde man grinned, raising his eyebrow at the woman. The secretary only sniffed at him and turned her head back to the desk she worked at not even bothering to say a word to the man. He chuckled at her a little before looking down at the blinking Steven and ushering him forward with a raise of his head. The boy only blinked before nodding himself and rushing over to the two. "So Mist, how long has it been?" Travis asked with a smile as he looked down at the girl in supposed question, his arms in his trouser pockets. Steven blinked again as the man called her by a different name. Daisy saw his confusion and quickly avoided his eyesight, smiling up at her said uncle.

"About three years I think," she replied as the three all walked through the restricted access area. Steven made a mental note as he passed an aquarium to ask Daisy how she could just walk through places like this. Of course that was after the little name business he concluded.

"Three years jeez." Travis laughed as they 'rounded a corner and Steven widened his eyes as he caught them moving right, scrambling to catch up with them. "In that short time you've grown so much." he smiled down at her and she smiled away in slight embarrassment. "Living on your own outside of your sisters' help and as independent as ever. I'm proud," he grinned at her and she chuckled, nodding.

"Ooh! Sisters you say?" Steven suddenly grinned his way into the conversation, poking his head between the blinking two. Daisy rolled her eyes and sighed whereas Travis only raised a blonde eyebrow at him.

"And you got yourself a boyfriend! I'm surprised Misty, I didn't think you'd pin this kid as your type." Travis grinned over at the red head and immediately the two children looked up at the man with widened eyes and a scowl. He blinked at them, exchanging looks. "What?" he asked. Steven immediately began laughing however.

"Lol! No!" he laughed and Daisy scowled angrily at him. "You think I'd go out with _that?_" the boy asked in mid hilarity, pointing at the girl and she glared at him. "Sorry man but I like _my_ girls with a little more meat on their bones. Just as long as they ain't hogzilla you know?" he grinned, imitating a large monster briefly and Travis laughed at his words.

"Well the kid knows what he likes I guess." he chuckled at the boy earning only a satisfied grin back from him. "So what's your name then kid?" the blonde man asked with a smile. Daisy only huffed, folding her arms and looking away from the two in a seemingly bad mood.

Steven smirked as he shut his eyes and edged a thumb to his chest. "You're lookin' at Steven Murray the next Kanto Champion! Not just some kid," he introduced rather arrogantly. Travis laughed again, throwing his head back as he walked.

"Oh sorry about that future champion of Kanto!" the man laughed, waving his arms as if to ward off the boy however he only smirked back. "But you do realise our country's championship is joined with Johto don't you?" he added this time with a grin of his own, looking down with an amused raised eyebrow. Steven blinked this time however.

"You mean trainers from Kanto _and_ Johto'll be battling this year?" he only asked in a dumb tone. The grinning blonde nodded.

"Yup," he grinned.

"Whoa," the boy murmured, his eyes widened as he looked down.

"Worried are we?" Daisy smirked from the other side and the boy looked up with a blink before smirking back in his usual overconfident manner.

"Like hell I am. I'll ace the league and in flying colours too! Bitches don't know 'bout _my_ Pokémon," he grinned, edging his thumb at his outstretched chest.

"Delusions of grandeur huh? I feel for ya kid I really do." Travis chuckled, smiling warmly down at the confused looking boy who only shrugged in response. "That said though there _is_ always a chance," he grinned this time, leaning further in to the young trainer's face and he grinned back confidently again.

"Uncle! Don't encourage him!" Daisy shot in with, giving the two a hard look. The two laughed this time.

"Ah he's a cool enough kid anyway." Travis grinned, ruffling the boy's capped head and he only pouted back at him. Finally however the three had come to a couple of large aqua designed doors and Daisy's eyes widened a little.

"Um I just realised I have something that I need to get done now so I'll see you guys later huh?" she laughed nervously, backing away from the doors. Travis turned to her with a blink in his features and Steven stared blankly at her before his face twisted into recognition and he smirked devilishly.

"But it's been ages since your sisters have seen you. I promised them I'd bring you in to see them as soon as I saw you," the blonde man stated blankly as he frowned at her.

"Yeah come on _Misty_." Steven grinned as he suddenly appeared next to the girl, snaking his right arm around her back. "I'd absolutely _love_ to see your sisters. I mean they _are_ family right?" he asked with a growing smirk and she winced a little, looking away from the boy.

"Yeah come on Mist your boyfriend's right it'll do ya good." Travis grinned and both Daisy and Steven turned to the man with a scowl on their faces for obvious different reasons. The blonde uncle only chuckled and turned, opening up one of the doors slowly and ushering in the two children as quickly as possible. Steven blinked as the doors shut and looked around. A large room with an incredibly huge pool stood before him. His blue eyes widened.

"I am _not_ swimming today," he mumbled, eyes though now narrowed carried their strange sense of surprise and fear. Daisy raised a red eyebrow at him and grinned.

"Steven do you-" she began a grin on her face.

"Uncle!"

The blonde man in question turned his head with a grin as he walked up to greet the screaming three girls that ran at him and he laughed as they rushed him into a large embrace. Steven blinked as he watched. The girl on the right had her bright pink hair in long straight ends down her shoulders, the one on the left had longer dark coloured blue hair and finally the centre one was blonde, her hair in the same fashion. "Daisy! Violet! Lily!" Travis laughed as he hugged the squealing teenagers.

"Daisy…?" Steven murmured as he looked from the three girls to the eye avoiding red head next to him. "What's going on he-"

"Misty! So you _did_ come back after all,"

The two pre-teens turned and looked up at the girls with contrasting expressions.

"Yeah so?" Daisy countered quickly, narrowing her green eyes at the three in front of her. Steven supposed these three hotties must be her sisters.

Lol whoops.

He mentally bashed himself in the head to pay closer attention.

"We didn't think we'd see you for a long time after your last little outburst," the dark blue haired girl smirked as she folded her arms at the two. She must've been Violet though Steven couldn't be too sure. He decided to just wait and listen.

"Brought a little boyfriend too huh Mist?" the pink haired girl grinned along with her blue haired sister, appearing at her side with a hand on her hip as she did so. The self proclaimed Daisy only scowled at her pink haired sister and Steven widened his eyes at the girl's claim wrenching his hand free instantly and whistled a little as he began to scratch his head in a badly done nonchalant fashion.

"So what happened Misty? Lost too many supplies so you sponge off the kid and then run on back home to your older sisters?" the blonde girl grinned as she stepped in between the other smug looking girls. Was _that_ Daisy? Steven squinted. She had a pink flower pinned to her hair and a ruby coloured bow wrapped 'round her long hair to hold it in place. It looked like a lame attempt to pass off as childlike.

At least that's what Steven thought anyway.

"For all of your information this _kid_ is only my friend and I'm travelling with him to help him on his Pokémon journey because as it is I know quite a bit about training them," the apparent Misty claimed as she quickly pointed at the blinking boy in question before folding her arms at them, sniffing up at the girls. They all giggled at her.

"All right, all right come on girls," Travis berated lightly as he stepped in between the four, a disapproving frown on his face.

"Yeah what's the dealio here?" Steven asked as he gave his own frown, resting a hand on his hip.

"You know your friend Misty right?" the pink haired girl asked with a grin. Violet? No wait Violet was the blonde. Wait no that was Daisy. But hold on wasn't _Misty_ Daisy? Agh! He shook his head of the confusion and only nodded at the girl. "Well she ran from home. Here," she added with a smug raise of her eyebrows. Steven only blinked.

"So?" he asked with a raise of his own eyebrow.

"Only for like the gazillionth time," the blonde girl chuckled, eliciting the group of girls to laugh again.

"Stop that!" Misty _(or Daisy Steven couldn't be sure anymore)_ exclaimed angrily, swiping at the air as she grit her teeth at the trio of giggling girls.

"All right come enough!" Travis shouted this time and the giggling immediately stopped. "Now I don't know how or why Misty had decided to run off somewhere for seemingly no reason but I don't think we're doing this appropriately especially in front of her friend over there," the man stated firmly as he pointed over to the now drooped eyed boy. He was beginning to get annoyed at being pointed at. The blonde girl sighed. Lily? Daisy? _Misty?_ Steven gave up.

"All right fine." she conceded, shutting her eyes and folding her arms. "Misty's kiddy boyfriend you can take the room on the third floor if you wanna stay the night," the girl smirked and the sisters giggled, earning an eye roll from the scowling Daisy. Steven growled and reached for his belt however a hard glance from Daisy stopped him.

"I'll be up to see you in a minute Steven. I need to talk to you about something," the red head admitted with a frown as she turned to the boy and he only nodded back the remains of his scowl on his face.

"Yeah I'll bet they do." the pink haired girl smirked and more giggling ensued. Steven grinded his teeth together and forced himself not to sic his entire team of Pokémon on the girls. In the distance as he exited the door now accompanied by a generic butler he heard the girls giggle some more and he grit his teeth angrily. However he soon brightened up and smiled a little.

"_Well they _are_ hot." _he grinned a little as followed the finely dressed man through the Gym's many corridors.

--

"_What?_"

The now reintroduced Misty winced at him, looking away from her friend's eyesight as she did so.

"Yes it's true." she murmured, shutting her eyes as another way of avoiding. Steven could only blink at the girl furiously, his brow furrowing further and further as he added it all up. "My name really isn't Daisy, it's my sister's name," the girl stated simply and monotonously, keeping her eyes shut. Steven didn't even bother pondering _which_ sister but kept his growing scowl up regardless.

"You lied to me," he spat, folding his arms at the girl.

"Yeah but I couldn't just tell you who I _really_ was!" Misty exclaimed, abruptly standing from the bed across from her companion's, scowling this time. Steven's eyes widened and he shrank back a little but kept his own scowl on. "You could've been some sicko that my sisters hired to watch me and just make fun of me on _their_ behalf!" she shot back, pointing over at the dark door beside the two. He glared back.

"Except I wasn't, was I?" he replied in a growing tone of voice yet not shouting as he narrowed his eyes back at her. She frowned as she sat back down on the edge of the bed. "I believed everything you said, who you were, where you were from hell even your team of _Pokémon_ I haven't even seen yet!" he exclaimed hotly this time and she glared back, a look of anger etching on her face.

"All right fine." she said quietly, narrowing her green eyes at the boy before forcing out the Poké balls from her belt and opening them up manually. Steven noted there was a large number of two in her hand but shook it off anyway. A Shellder and a Poliwag now stood before the boy in the room's darkness, staring up at him with blinks. "Happy?" she spat venomously.

"That's not enough _Misty._" the boy replied quietly as he could, his eyes still narrowed in a dark scowl. "If there's one thing I hate even more than weak Pokémon it's liars," he snapped angrily and Misty seemed to wince a little. The boy's Squirtle _(now resting on the moonlit window ledge) _cringed visibly as his words reached the turtle.

"Listen Steven I did it beca-"

The Pallet trainer glowered at her and quickly stood up from his bed, his eyes still hard on her. She only stared back in a weak frown. "Come on guys. Let's get out of here before we're infected by the stench of betrayal." he hissed at the girl glowering at her before turning and walking off for the room's door, quickly followed by his wincing team of Pokémon, hot on his heels. He passed a blinking Travis with nothing more than an unrecognised scowl on his face as he walked through the corridor. The blonde uncle raised an eyebrow at the boy and three Pokémon before turning and poked his head through the door the trainer just stormed through.

"You okay Mist?" the man asked dubiously as he raised an eyebrow at the girl. Her tear stricken eyes widened and she scrambled to wipe at her eyes.

"Y-Yup I'm fine," she laughed nervously and shakily as she turned with an unconvincing smile. Though really rather well done Travis thought. He frowned and walked in shutting the door behind him before he walked up to the girl and sat next to her.

"What happened?" he asked softly and put an arm around the red head's shoulder as the Pokémon at her side leaped into her lap.

"Weeell it was nothing really." she smiled back up at him though Travis didn't see any genuine humour in the smile. "Just Steven running away in another one of his hissy fits. He'll come around. He always does." she sniffed, directing her smile now down to the floor. Travis smiled warmly along with her, rocking the girl back and forth in an attempt to calm her. "But then he might not." she chuckled this time and the smile was soon gone. "I told him a lie Uncle Travis. And now he hates me." she laughed again, looking back up with another smile. Travis only frowned at her. "I thought I finally had a friend but well I guess it wasn't meant to happen huh?" she grinned humourlessly up at the frowning Travis. More tears began to form on the girl's eyes and she looked down immediately, sniffing. The blonde Uncle winced a little but began to rock her again slowly, like a baby in a cradle. "D-Doesn't matter to me though." she chuckled again, quickly wiping at her eyes. "I'll face my sisters tomorrow and straighten everything out," the girl stated simply and this time there was no shaking in her voice as she spoke.

"You mean you'll actually face the three of them? In battle?" Travis asked, hushing his voice to a whisper as he stared incredulously at her.

"If I have to I will. I know what they've been doing with the Cerulean Gym Badges and I know my parents would never stand for it," she shot back with a resolute frown. Travis almost grimaced as he remembered. Daisy, Violet and Lily were running out of money so they had decided to actually just 'sell off' the Cascade Badges at a high price to any challenging trainers. He had to admit they _were_ spoiled. If only a little bit.

"Don't worry. If you need any help I'm behind you all the way," the man regained his warm smile as he looked down at the girl and she weakly smiled back.

"Thanks Uncle." she whispered, resting her head on the man's shoulder. He frowned as he stared up out at the moonlit sky.

--

"_Lying to me. What next?"_ Steven thought to himself angrily as he walked through the dark streets of Cerulean, scowling darkly as he kept his hands thrust deep into his pockets, trudging around with his Pokémon near. _"She might as well have just said her name was Melody or Mariah or something. Screw her. I'll finish the rest of my journey on my own." _he thought and began to grin to himself as that particular thought crossed his mind. _"Oh yeah that'd make her feel sorry too right."_ he thought and began to chuckle as he walked, eliciting raised eyebrows from his team of Pokémon.

"Hey! You can't take that! Get out o' here!"

Steven blinked out of mid thought and turned his head to the source of the sudden noise, to his right. Looking around his current position in a rather guilty fashion he grinned a little before inclining his head to the noise's source, his Pokémon exchanging worried looks as they followed closely behind. Squinting ahead he narrowed his eyes at the back of a large van where yellow light had splashed upon the dark ground.

"Hey you two! I told ya before get out before I-" the man began however he soon fell silent in mid sentence. Steven made to turn the corner and find out what happened but fortunately he stayed put and listened to a loud thud that echoed nearby. He widened his eyes as he heard the man mutter something before another thud echoed. Probably fell, he thought. He heard some giggling nearby, a girl he thought. Two of them then. The boy nodded to his own point before steeling himself and suddenly leaping out from his hiding place, accompanied by his three Pokémon.

"Ha!" he exclaimed, a grin on his features as he pointed accusingly at the two figures that in turn had swivelled their heads 'round in a mixture of pure fear and surprise. However they soon blinked and then laughed as they recognised the boy. Steven made ready to insult the two immediately in sudden annoyance however widened his own eyes at the two.

A grinning Kevin dressed in his last garb as a gentleman held a crate firmly in his arms, assisted by his frowning Machop while a similarly grinning Kim stood over an unconscious man, holding a small bat in her hands.

"Can't believe I was worried there." Kevin chuckled as he hefted the large crate next to his companion.

"Only you huh rabbit?" the brown haired girl asked with a grin.

"What are you two doing here?" Steven only asked with a raise of his eyebrow and his three Pokémon _(the ones that could anyway)_ all face palmed, eliciting the two thieves to laugh aloud at the boy. However he quickly added two and two together as he recognised the boxes on the open truck next to him. "You're stealing more merchandise!" he exclaimed suddenly, widening his eyes. Kim widened her own eyes and quickly rushed over to silence the boy, clasping a hand over his mouth.

"Keep it down!" she hissed.

"Surprised you noticed kid," Kevin chuckled again as he raised himself back up and walked back into the truck along with his fighting type Pokémon. Steven scowled at the older boy in a pout before gaining back his previous expression.

"B-But that's wrong!" the boy exclaimed, blinking. Kim rolled her green eyes and turned away from the boy, beginning to poke the unconscious man's body with her bat, grinning as she did so.

"Hey we're just taking what should be ours considering," Kim grinned back as she looked up with a single gaze and he blinked.

"Yeah." Kevin agreed with a huff as he set down another crate, wiping off a wall of sweat from his brow. "After all those corrupt fucks deserve this one." he chuckled before returning to the van and Kim glared at the young man whereas Steven only blinked in confusion. He coughed a little awkwardly, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry." he chuckled again, earning a chastising stare from the girl as she folded her arms at him.

"Well anyway." Steven murmured as he watched before turning back. "What's in 'em?" he asked as he stared at one of the crates. His Squirtle poked the crate he stared at with its small blue finger and the other two only stared along with their master.

"Poké balls. And a lot of 'em too." Kim smiled at the boy before she whistled over to the blinking Kevin who quickly recognised the sign before throwing her a tool. The girl quickly caught it and turned back to the crate. Steven blinked as he recognised the tool as a crowbar. She hooked one end of the tool to the crate and began to pull. "There we go!" she huffed as she opened up the wooden crate, smiling down at its contents. Steven raised an eyebrow as he leaned in, accompanied by his three Pokémon. He blinked however as he recognised the contents as magazines and not Poké balls as told.

"Uh. What's the deal here, what are these?" he asked as he raised a magazine to his face with a single hand, blinking in confusion. Kim raised her own brown eyebrow as she quickly snatched the magazine from the boy, staring at it.

"Kev?" she called. She heard him curse loudly at his Machop as a crate fell. Probably on his toes.

"Yeah?" he replied back in a pained tone.

"Why have we just raided a porn shipment?" she asked. Kevin turned his head with a genuinely surprised blink before carefully raising himself and limping out.

"What do you mean?" the young man asked. Kim rolled her eyes as she handed the paper to the blinking thief. On the front of the magazine was entitled:

'_Cum guzzling sluts! Hot, hot, hot!'_

"Hey this looks pretty good," Kevin grinned as he opened up the magazine and began reading. Kim groaned as she checked the rest of the crate, throwing out the many copies of the same magazine.

"Aren't there _any_ Poké balls in there?" she mumbled in an annoyed tone. The girl gave an angry tut and she finished searching the large crate, deciding to look back up at the unusually quiet Steven. And then she widened her eyes. A frowning Steven, his own blue eyes widened read a copy of the pornographic magazine in his hands. "Give me that!" she hissed, quickly grabbing the magazine out of his hands and throwing it into the crate once more.

"I'll never look at women the same way again," the boy murmured, eyes still widened. Kim sighed and turned to the grinning Kevin with a scowl on her face. He blinked and looked up.

"What?" he asked. She rolled her eyes at him.

"So, what you doin' here anyway rabbit?" Kim asked over her shoulder as she walked up the van's back, the crowbar hanging on her shoulder as she headed for the next crate.

"Uh nothing really." Steven replied, blinking out of his surprise as he rubbed at the back of his head. He exchanged worried looks with his team of Pokémon. They all stared back with raised eyebrows as if to wonder whether telling the truth was a good idea. "Just out on a stroll really," he smiled back sheepishly.

"Well where's the other kid that hangs around ye?" Kevin asked and looked up from the magazine with a small grin. Steven looked over with a frown this time and he laughed nervously.

"Well she's just staying at the Cerulean Gym right now. I'm just out to see the sights really before I take the Cascade Badge you know how it is," the boy grinned back in his usual overconfident expression. Kim seemed to buy it and she frowned, shrugging before returning to opening up the next crate on the van. Kevin however only widened his grin at him.

"Something happened didn't it?" he asked, raising a brown eyebrow. Steven's eyes widened but he hid it as well as he could. "It did," he finished with a chuckle, lowering the magazine and folding it now. Steven cursed. Didn't hide it well enough then.

"_What_ happened?" Kim asked as she turned her head, a curious brown eyebrow raised. Steven sighed, looking down at his team of three Pokémon with a frown before looking back up.

"I might've…" he began in an uncertain tone before sighing again looking away. "Had another fight with her," he finished in a mumble and Kevin laughed.

"Again? Man how many times do you two fight?" he asked, grinning.

"Hey it was serious this time!" the trainer shot back angrily, swiping at the air dramatically. "She _lied_ to me!"

Kevin raised a single eyebrow. "And? Lots of people lie," he chuckled, folding his arms and leaning on one of the crates next to him as he did so.

"Not like she did!" the young boy barked back and Kevin almost shrank in reply, widening his eyes at the usually docile boy's behaviour. He breathed a little heavily and looked back down to the ground, calming as he did. "She said her name was Daisy but it's not." he said. Kevin and Kim only stared, frowning as they leant on crates. "I mean. Who hangs around someone and _lies_ like that?!" he shot out with angrily, looking back up at the frowning Kevin. He smiled a little.

"The way I see it she probably had to,"

Steven blinked at him. "Eh?" he asked, scrunching his face.

"Well. She ran away from home and told her spoiled sisters how she'd manage on her own right?" he claimed. The boy's eyes widened.

"How do _you_ know that?" he questioned, narrowing his blue eyes and Kim raised an eyebrow, clearly agreeing.

Kevin grinned and tapped his nose. "Author's powers." he grinned. The two only blinked at him as did the team of Pokémon. He rolled his eyes and shook his head in silent annoyance. "My point is. She probably _had_ to lie. I mean if I were in her position I'd probably do what she did," he finished with a respectful nod and shut his eyes.

"No you wouldn't," Kim grinned in the conversation as she walked next to the teenager.

"Yeah you're right. I'd kick the kids' asses before I ran," he grinned back chuckling. Kim smirked at him before turning to the frowning Steven with a smile of her own.

"Yeah I think you might've overreacted rabbit," she said. He looked over at her with a small wince.

"You think?" he asked. She brought her forefinger and thumb up closing them together in the air.

"Just a little bit," she chuckled. He frowned back and turned his head to the large gym just a few strides ahead. Before he suddenly grinned and turned his head back to the two. He quickly took out two coins and flipped them over to the blinking pair and grinned at them.

"Thanks for the advice," he shot back before turning and running, quickly followed by his Pokémon. Kevin blinked at the coin and noticed it was a single Poké dollar. He laughed a little before looking back up.

"Appreciated!" he called after the boy before turning his hand and reaching for the magazine again however it was cut short as a scowling Kim slapped the young man's hand. He mewled a little and nursed his hit hand and the girl smirked before stalking off in search of the half opened crate she tended to. The thief watched her leave with a frown before smirking to himself and yanking out the magazine again, examining it with the greatest of interest.

--

A/N: LOL PORN! Yeah I lol'd myself doing it, can't blame me. XD Corrupt organisation in a Pokémon game ftw. Anyway yeah that's that so hope you enjoyed and whatnot. Till next time.


	8. OH SWIMMING

**Chapter 8: ****OH SWIMMING**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its stuff. Lolz.**

_A/N: Lol well_

_**The Devil Deity:**__ OH GOD PR0N. XD You've been on Encyclopedia Dramatica for too long methinks. _

_Yeah 4th wall break for the fricking Paper Mario 2 done it pretty well I think. Plot holes though eh? =O Dunno about that mate. XD Then again I can't say otherwise either. Haven't seen you update in a while. A WHILE. :p _

_MY LIFE WAS SO (music turns quiet) daaaaark. =O BEST MUSIC EVER! _

_Well in any case hope ye enjoy mate. _

--

"_Yeah you can count on me Dais! I _am_ the man after all!" _

"_Well you're the helpless girl and I'm the extremely handsome and dependable hero! I'm _supposed_ to save you! It's what heroes do after all!" _

Misty frowned as she stared into the mirror in front of her. It was still much too early to take on her sisters for the Gym. The girl turned her head to the Jigglypuff alarm clock on her bedside. It read 7.30.

She chuckled. She couldn't believe she spent half an hour brooding on how to deal with three enemies at the one go, formulating all sorts of strategies to counter the number difference but alas here she was with only a massive number of two Pokémon. A Poliwag and a Shellder. She frowned as she stared down at the two spheres in her left hand. She wasn't even sure what Travis was carrying and how many. She winced. Probably should've asked him about them beforehand.

"Oh well. Too late now." she murmured, smiling nervously into the mirror. And a scowling Steven stared back at her, his arms folded and his Squirtle on his shoulder, doing the same.

"_You lied to me."_ he spat at her. She winced and looked away.

"I had to,"

"_No you didn't _Daisy._ You exploited my trust and kicked me in the teeth for it,"_ the boy narrowed his eyes to thin slits, his Squirtle joining him.

"I told you I had to. You could've been lying to me too," Misty replied to the imaginary boy, finding her shoes very interesting indeed. She could tell he was curling his lip in half disgust and half amusement.

"_You make me sick. You're all the same you corrupt, lying swine__," _he half grinned back, narrowing his eyes. Misty growled and snapped her head up to meet the boy's.

"Say what you want but _I'm_ not the one that's corrupt. I was only trying to prove myself to my sisters not impress you," she hissed back, her own green eyes narrowed at the now scowling Steven image.

"Impress who?"

She blinked out of her explanation and quickly turned her head to find a frowning Travis standing in the doorway, eyebrow raised and hands in his pockets in his usual nonchalant manner.

"U-Uncle." Misty stammered an embarrassing expression on her face as she smiled back. "Um I was just uh," she began uncertainly, rubbing the back of her head as she did so.

"Talking to yourself by the looks of things," he grinned and walked into the room slowly and Misty only chuckled back in a nervous fashion.

"Yeah I guess I am." she said, smiling up at the man before she widened her eyes in sudden remembrance. The man raised a blonde eyebrow at her. "What uh Pokémon do you have on your team Uncle? I need to know to make a strategy," she asked sheepishly. The man grinned at her before bringing out three Poké balls and opening them up manually in a brilliant flash of light. Misty blinked as she took a step back and watched the light materialise into different forms.

First on the left was a wide and lean hermit crab like creature with an oblivious look on its face as it stood upright, a grey coloured _(and angry looking Misty noted)_ shell biting down on the Pokémon's tail.

Second on from that was a chunky blue coloured creature with scowling eyes, clenched white gloved fists and a strange swirl design on its front.

Finally on the right stood a small light blue coloured stringy monster with no arms. Its two eyes hid behind all the stringy green coloured vines in front of itself.

In short a Slowbro, a Poliwrath and a Tangela.

"Right a Slowbro can use Psychic attacks and a Poliwrath is a dual Fighting type right?" Misty asked for clarification and Travis blinked at her before nodding. She looked down and seemed to consider. "It's too hard to do it," she sighed, lowering her hands.

"Why?" Travis asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well I can't remember what type of Pokémon my sisters have," she smiled sheepishly back up at the blonde man and he only shook his head with his own smile.

"You'll manage it. Even without my help you'd be able to beat your sisters," Travis said. Misty grimaced a little at the thought of it.

"You think so?" she asked, clearly unconvinced. Travis smiled again and knelt down to the girl's head level, taking her by the shoulders.

"I know it Misty. And think about it, you've been training Pokémon since you were only knee high," he grinned back.

She smiled sheepishly back. "A year uncle,"

He blinked before shaking it off and grinning again. "Well you've spent a lot more time and a hell of a lot more interest in Pokémon training than your sisters anyway." he chuckled and she smiled back in full confidence this time. She didn't reply, rather kept her eyes on the carpet below her. "You're nervous aren't you?" he asked, cocking his head to the side so he could get a better look at the girl and she frowned back up at him.

"Uncle all I have are my Shellder and Poliwag. I'll be going up against the _three_ of my sisters and I only have two Pokémon," she whispered, frowning gravely making sure to keep her voice low in fear of her small team of creatures hearing what transpired.

"Hey. Listen." the now frowning man begun as he took her by the shoulders. "You _will_ win this fight. And you know that. You're just doubting yourself and I don't ever wanna hear it again." he said, determinedly gazing at her through almost narrowed eyes. She looked up at him and nodded. "Besides you _are_ the heir to Cerulean Gym's Leader position so you ought to start acting like it," he finished with a smile and Misty's face started to brighten.

"You mean it?" she asked, hardly daring to believe it. He nodded in a smile.

"Well of course. Who better to pick huh?" he nodded at her in a warm expression. The girl sniffed once before straightening up her face and frowning gravely.

"Okay. Let's go then. To reclaim Cerulean Gym's honour," she stated and Travis grinned back, playfully and gently probing her on the chin.

"Just don't go all serious on me huh?" he grinned and she chuckled, nodding.

--

The small metallic ball bounced off the Blastoise's shell on the right wall before missing the Victreebel's mouth. Steven's blue eyes widened and he gasped, gritting his teeth together and then the ball hit off of a smiling Pikachu holding a bouncer on the left before securing itself within the narrow eyed Victreebel's mouth. Steven sighed and smiled in silent relief as bright lights on the machine flashed on the front.

_HIGH SCORE!_

"Ha! Too right!" the boy smirked as the ball suddenly shot out of the Victreebel's mouth and bounced mindlessly off the small walls to and fro. "Agh!" Steven winced as his hands shot over to the sides of the pinball machine however he wasn't fast enough and the sphere soon found it dropped into the small pit below.

_You lose! Enter twenty five Poké cents to continue._

His blue eyes drooped in an annoyed fashion.

"Can't be as bloody obvious as that can you?" he grumbled before muttering to himself and turning 'round, sticking his hands into his pockets as he walked through the amusement arcade.

"Hey you were pretty good mister big man!"

Steven blinked as he felt his red jacket getting pulled at. The twelve year old raised an auburn eyebrow before turning to his right to find a young boy smiling up at him, dressed in a white shirt, black coloured shorts and finally simple white trainers. Like the _(currently of course)_ one badge trainer he had a mop of unruly brown hair.

"You uh mean the pinball right?" Steven asked uncertainly, blinking as he took out a hand to point over at the said machine resting behind him currently unused. The boy nodded his head enthusiastically. Steven's frown crept into a slow grin as he felt his ego being stroked.

Once again.

"Well what'd you expect? I am after all a child prodigy you know," the older boy grinned down at the younger, punching his chest for effect. He didn't actually know what a 'child prodigy' was but he heard his parents call his old friend Ross it and he figured it must mean something really good.

"What's that?" the kid asked, blinking. Steven returned the blink as he was called on his bluff and he now frowned as he rubbed at the back of his head, clearly unsure.

"Uh well. It means I'm like um. Naturally good at stuff." the trainer said as he looked off away into the distance as if to confirm it. "And stuff," he finished in an unsure blink. The boy only nodded an interested look in his eyes. However his eyes began to wander and soon they found themselves on his belt.

"Wow you have _Pokémon?_" the boy smiled openly and widely as he shot his head up. Steven blinked down at him once before suddenly grinning again.

"Too right." he began as he took off one of the spheres _(his Squirtle he noted)_ before changing its small size in front of the boy, making him widen his eyes in awe. Before he even had time to open up the ball however a number of children all around the same height as the boy in front of Steven ran all next to the kid.

"He's a trainer!"

"He has Pokémon!"

"Show us them!"

Steven smirked as he was surrounded by the small children. His ego was growing by the minute as it usually did of course. "Okay people stand back!" he declared dramatically as he rose up the Poké ball. The wide eyed children all took a step back and Steven took the chance to throw the sphere down onto the floor in his usual confident smirk. The ball opened up and let out simple physical white coloured energy before it began to form into a small blinking turtle, clearly confused as to why it was currently surrounded by children.

And now _squealing_ children.

The water type creature let out a worried squeak as it was fawned over by the excited children. It turned its blue coloured head around to find its master. And when it did its eyes drooped. The red capped trainer's arms were folded and he was beaming happily as if he just achieved a massive goal unreachable even by the most talented man. The Squirtle sighed and smiled at the children.

"Oh yeah I've been with this one for _ages._ We go way back," the trainer bragged on, grinning as the children watched in genuine interest and widened eyes. Some even gave impressed 'wows'. The Squirtle turned to its master with a raised eyebrow.

"Well does it have a nickname?" one of the kids asked. Steven visibly blinked, his grin faltering.

"Good question." he murmured, bringing up his right index finger and thumb to cup his chin in seeming thought. "Well not right now but I might give it one who knows?" he chuckled back, grinning again as he shrugged. The children all turned their amazed attention back to the water type and began pulling at its cheeks, earning annoyed grunts from it and whatnot. Steven watched on with a raised eyebrow. "But anyway that's enough for today guys. We have places to go and people to see!" Steven suddenly cut in as he walked forward and grabbed the happy turtle up in his arms, lifting it to rest on his shoulder. The kids all gave disappointed protests. "Sorry kids but that's the way of it. Can't show this handsome mug everywhere you know," the trainer added on in a grin as he complimented his face with an edge of his thumb.

"We don't care about you. We only care about your Pokémon," one of the small girls stated, an annoyed pout on her face. Steven blinked before scowling back.

"Oh yeah that's _real_ charming." he shot back in narrowed eyes before turning and heading for the exit, hands deep in his pockets. "Damn kids." he muttered before he felt a nudge from the Squirtle on his shoulder. He turned his head to the water type and raised an eyebrow. "What do _you_ want?" he questioned. It had a worried expression on its face as it pointed one of its small fingers behind the trainer's head. He blinked for the umpteenth time that day and turned 'round.

The children were rushing toward him, evil grins plastered on their faces. Some of them even carried rocks.

_Rocks._

"OH GOOD GOD!" Steven yelled in total surprise before hurrying on for the doorway.

LOL KIDS

--

She began to breathe heavily and her lip quivered. She was going to lose and she knew it.

"Hey come on loosen up!" Travis' comforting voice came. Misty blinked once and turned to the smiling man on her right. She made a face at him. They were currently arguing lightly in one of the Gym's many pool rooms.

"'Loosen up'? Uncle I'm against _three_ of my sisters with only _two_ Pokémon,"

"That's five," he corrected, still smiling.

"Whatever." Misty snapped. "We're still short remember? They could have six _each_ for all we know,"

He grinned down at her, arms folded. "For all we know they might not," he said. She rolled her eyes. Uncle Travis was much too optimistic for her tastes.

"And for all we know they probably _do_ have them." she shot back, eyes narrowed and he winced. "I'm sorry uncle I'm just really on edge today. I mean, I could lose inheritance over the damn Gym," the girl chuckled to herself, eyes now shut.

"Hey." Travis' warm voice came again. She looked up at him on her side. "That's never gonna happen trust me. I'm in control of the Gym right now and it's my choice who I give ownership of the Gym to. ICL said so," he finished in a confident grin and Misty couldn't help but smile.

"That's true Uncle Travis." a soft high voice echoed through the Gym's many halls. The two's eyes widened and they readied themselves. "But isn't it usually the _oldest_ of the siblings that inherits things?" it claimed and soon a grinning blonde teenaged girl walked through an entrance to their front on the top right. Daisy. Misty narrowed her green eyes.

"Yeah Daisy's right Uncle. It's _Misty_ that's youngest," another grinning girl came sauntering through the same doorway, hands on her hips as she did so. Her hair was a dark blue which meant that _she_ was Violet.

"After all the law has spoken." one more voice proclaimed and its owner walked next to the other two girls. The bright pink haired one being Lily. Misty snarled and bore her teeth at the three. They all giggled in reply. They probably thought her savage and animal like but she could hardly care, as far as she was concerned she was more human than any of the conceited wretches.

"All right come on girls enough." Travis frowned as he walked in between Misty and the three, hands in his pockets. "Daisy, Violet, Lily. I'm sure we can settle this without fighting. And besides that I already chose Misty as successor to the Gym," he finished in a smile as he turned his head to the three who by now had gained bewildered and shocked faces. Misty smirked for the first time that day. It was nice to see how they reacted to not getting their way as they usually did.

"B-But I thought you were gonna choose me uncle!" Daisy blurted out in pure shock.

"Yeah she's the oldest uncle Travis!" Violet agreed, her face in a similar expression.

"I know what's goin' on here. Our baby sister's conspiring against us by using good uncle Travis against us," Lily spat, arms folded as she scowled over at the narrow eyed red head.

"Oh come on now that's just not true." Travis replied, frowning as he did so. "I picked Misty on my own decision because she knows how to _run_ the Gym," he tried easily. The three would have none of it however.

"Says you! Look at her she ran away like a child!" Daisy shouted suddenly, angrily thrusting a finger at the green eyed girl.

"Yeah and besides she's hardly the favourite of the family!" Violet agreed, abrasive as always. Misty grinded her teeth together, she was seconds from blowing up and screaming at the three.

"Now that's enough you three." Travis shot back quickly his voice this time firm and commanding, frowning. The three girls shrank back instantly and Misty blinked. "Misty is just as much a Waterflower as you three and I am. She's managed to prove herself by living independently rather than living here most of the time. And to top it all off she has a great knack for battling," he claimed as he almost scowled at the three who in turn lowered their heads to his scolding.

"We're sorry uncle," they all echoed simultaneously. Travis gained a small smile on his face.

"Now you see what I mean? I don't like it when you girls fight like that. Misty was right you three are spoiled rotten. Selling Gym badges were enough for me let me tell you." he frowned again, folding his arms at the wincing three. "But Misty has her faults too of course,"

"Yeah she's a little cretin!" Lily exclaimed however a single look from Travis was enough to quieten her.

"What I'm trying to say is that you four should work together instead of fighting like this all the time. Your parents always wanted to see that before they died and so did I." he said quietly and the room went into a sombre silence bar the splashing of the waves in the pool. "So what do you say? Instead of just handing the Gym over to Misty herself I'll leave it under the four of you," Travis managed a smile this time as he looked from the wide eyed three to the blinking red head.

Misty winced and looked over at her sisters. They stared back silently, frowning before they opened up their arms in a growing smile. Tears began to fall from her face before she ran at the three and enveloped them in a genuine hug. Travis watched on with his own smile, his head cocked to his left as he did so.

"Never fear girls! The soon to be champion of Kanto and Johto is here to save the day!"

Everyone blinked suddenly and looked around for the source of the voice. Misty cringed in her tears. She knew that voice.

"Oh no." she murmured turning her head to look above herself. A grinning dark covered figure stood on top of a balcony, a Squirtle on its shoulder. The figure leaped from the balcony like a bat, grinning as it did so before it finally touched the ground and then it widened its eyes. Its white coloured trainer slipped on the wet floor before it squealed, falling into the pool noisily. Cue the obligatory spluttering and splashing. Travis blinked but frowned and shook his head, throwing off his Miami shirt and leaped into the pool after the figure. Misty groaned, face palming as she did so. The blonde man finally managed to pull up the figure _(quite obviously a young boy now)_ drenched in water as he coughed on all fours his Squirtle wincing next to him. "Hey Steven," Misty managed out in a weak smile and the red capped boy looked up, water sprinkling off him before he grinned back.

"Now for the hero to play his part!" Steven grinned as he leaped back up full of energy. His Squirtle grinned along with him imitating him perfectly. "I'm here to challenge you three hotties to a Pokémon battle and win Daisy's honour!" the trainer claimed as he pointed his fingerless gloved finger at them who all blinked bar Misty. He frowned however and shook his head. "Uh Misty I mean!" he rectified in another grin.

"Bit late kid." Travis smiled as he walked next to the boy who in turn blinked. "I've given the Gym to the four of 'em. They're fine now," he chuckled and Steven frowned.

"So. No battling?" he complained quietly, his lower lip pouting out in front childishly. Travis chuckled again.

"I'm afraid so," he grinned.

"BAAAAW!" he exclaimed out, bawling out like a five year old. Everyone stared at him strangely however the young boy quickly corrected himself and only frowned, shrugging. "Lol well. Guess I'll have that ol' Cascade Badge then." the red capped trainer grinned as he walked toward the three blinking sisters. They quickly caught on and smiled, one of them going into their pockets to presumably bring out a case however before he could continue on a frowning Misty stood in his way, arms folded. "Hey what's the deal?" he asked an impudent look on his face.

"Sorry Steven but the Cerulean Gym is now under new management." the girl claimed and Steven only blinked. She sighed. "The Gym now belongs to my sisters and me," she finished, frowning at him. He shrugged.

"So?" he asked in his usual impudent grin.

She scowled at him. "_So_ you're gonna have to battle one of us if you want that badge," she finished, leaning toward him with narrowed eyes and folded arms almost grinning. His eyes drooped instantly and he frowned.

"Oh _perfect_." he replied. She grinned back. "Bet Ross didn't have to go through this ship," he mumbled, folding his own arms.

"Hey come on kid it's not that bad. After all more experience for the win right?" a smiling Travis walked next to the boy and lowered his head to meet his. Steven's annoyed expression softened somewhat.

"Eh I guess." he said quietly. "But still! It's a matter of time I mean Ross is probably halfway to the damn _league_ by now!" he shot back in another pout and Travis blinked.

"Who's Ross?" one of the sisters asked, eyebrow raised.

"Kid about my size, spiky brown hair, hates everything but himself, not as handsome as me?" the Pallet trainer replied as he raised his right hand to compare his height to the supposed Ross's.

"Oh yeah I remember him. He just sorta sneered at us and bought a Cascade Badge," Lily pointed out in a single raise of her index finger.

"He was pretty cute for a kid," Violet giggled, eliciting similar responses from the other two. Both Misty and Steven drooped their eyes at the three in annoyance.

"Whatever man! Point is I want one of 'em for sale and I want no discrimination just 'cause I got here later than Ross!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the frowning sisters who in turn all rolled their eyes.

"Sorry Steven but you're gonna have to face one of us in battle if you want that badge," Misty smiled, arms still folded. Steven turned to her in a pout. She was probably enjoying this.

"Agh all right fine!" he conceded, reaching on his belt and pulling out a Poké ball before pointing it to her face. She blinked at him.

"Me?"

He grinned. "Faced you before haven't I?" he said. She pushed the sphere out of her face and gave a grin of her own.

"Well all right. Daisy, Violet, Lily you okay with this?" the red head smiled next to her sisters all of whom merely shrugged.

"Well you were like the only one in our family who really used those things for battling anyway," Daisy shrugged and Misty grinned before turning to the impatient Pallet trainer and nodding.

"Ha! All right girls better get that badge ready! You're lookin' at a future champion!" he smirked, setting aside his feet for an obvious battle. Misty only smiled and raised her fingers, clicking them once. Steven raised a brown eyebrow and yelled in surprise as he was suddenly manhandled by a number of frowning maids. He spluttered in protest as his red cap, gloves, red jacket, black shirt, blue jeans and white trainers were all ripped from his body, leaving him in nothing but his Charmander fire brand boxers. "What the hell man?" he asked angrily, scowling at the frowning maids who in return only shoved a pair of plain blue trunks into his hands. He blinked at them before looking up and catching the grinning Misty's green eyes. She was stripping down much like he just did bare the obvious force of it all he had.

TO A BIKINI YOU SICK FUCKS

Lolz.

"Put 'em on." she grinned at him, hands on her hips. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her before doing so, staring at her all the while.

"You realise I can't actually sw-"

Before he was suddenly pushed into the pool on his right. He squealed loudly and flailed his arms and legs around the air helplessly, making a big splash indeed. The boy gasped soundlessly as he felt water forcing its way through his mouth and he flailed his way upward but sadly for him it was as he expected.

_He just couldn't swim._

"_I'm never gonna get to battle for the Cascade badge, I'm never gonna kick Ross' ass and I'm never gonna compete in the league!"_ he thought to himself as he clawed at the water's surface madly in vain, falling slowly through the blue pool. However before he could think anything else he was suddenly pulled by his ribs and sure enough he broke the water's surface and breathed in sweet air. He then coughed out the remaining water still lodged in his throat.

"Sorry Steven I didn't realise you couldn't swim," Misty's voice chuckled behind him. Her three sisters and Travis both watched with amusing expressions on their faces. Steven turned his face halfway 'round to glare at the red head that held him.

"Yeah what was your first guess?!" he snarled, freshly gained water sprinkling off his head as he snapped around.

"I guess this is kind of a lost cause huh?" Misty laughed nervously and Steven blinked before bringing a finger up on his chin in seeming thought.

"Or you could actually _learn_ how to swim you know." Travis suggested in a half grin, his arms folded. Steven blinked over at him before grinning himself.

"LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!" he exclaimed out, moving his head from one side of the pool to another in an obvious sarcastic if rude gesture.

INB4VGCATS

"It's not so hard. I could teach you and Squirtle could help," Misty smiled at him from behind. He frowned over at her as far he could before sighing long and loud.

"Do I even have a choice?" he muttered. The remaining four all laughed.

--

A/N: GOOD GOD THAT WAS SHIT! I knoes lolz. Eh gimme a break I've gone temporarily retarded. Or that's permanent. Lol whatever. Well anyway hope you enjoyed whatever you could outta this one The Devil Deity.

YES I KNOW IT'S ONLY YOU THAT EVEN HALF READS THIS DAMN THING XD

Ahem. 'Til next time.


	9. Putting the 'War' in Wartortle

**Chapter ****9: Putting the 'War' in Wartortle**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its stuff and so on and so forth. I do own ME though! Ha. Ha, ha. Eh. Yeesh.**

**Featured Music****:**

_**Great Saiyaman Battle Theme – Dragonball Ultimate Battle 22: **__** Trainer Steven's Theme.**_** – **_Scene __**2**__ second half._

"_**Intense Action" – Pokémon Anime Soundtrack.**__ – Scene __**2**__ Second half after Steven's Theme._

"_**I did it!" – Pokémon Anime Soundtrack. – **__Scene __**3.**_

_A/N: __OH OFF L-O-L-Z. _

_(lol)_

_**Scene 1**_

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Steven asked in a wince as he eyed the large pool beneath him.

"Yeah come on ya gotta learn sometime. Isn't that right Squirtle?" Misty's voice said behind him.

"Squir!" the Pokémon agreed as it grinned on its trainer's shoulder. The boy blinked and shrieked in a rather manly show of charisma as the plank beneath his feet began to wobble. He turned his head 'round carefully to find a gritted Misty, attempting to move backward and grab the metallic sides of the board for safety but albeit in vain. He blinked. So it wasn't her. He looked further past and found a grinning Daisy _(at least he thought it was her)_ leaping up and down on the plank. His blue eyes narrowed as he wobbled in place.

"When I get outta here alive I'm gonna kick your-" he began angrily however his unbalanced feet gave way and he screamed loudly as he fell, plummeting toward the pool back first. He was vaguely aware of Misty squealing above him but paid it no mind and instead forced his concentration on the growing water grave beneath him. Suddenly an idea popped into his head. "S-Squirtle quick withdraw into your shell!" he squealed. The water type falling next to him blinked at him but did so anyway, its limbs and head retracting back with a pop. He grabbed the shell quickly and positioned it under his right toe as best he could, tongue outstretched in a show of the effort. He braced himself for the inevitable oncoming impact and held in his breath as he crashed into the water, splashing the wet contents everywhere.

However he soon splashed right back up in an impossible show, balancing himself on his Squirtle using only his right toes. He laughed, rarely able to believe it. "I don't believe it!" he exclaimed, before grinning and rising up his un gloved right hand into the air in a victory pose. "I am the turtle king!" he proclaimed deeply before a scream above him grew louder. His face changed from its usual overconfidence to a horror filled look. "Oh lord no." he mumbled before he felt his companion crash into both him and the water itself, creating an even larger splash than before.

He gasped soundlessly in the water clawing for the top as he did before however he was quickly saved by the swimming skills of Misty and as he broke through the water's surface he heard the sisters giggling to themselves at his expense.

How dare they he thought.

"Ah shut up!" the aggravated young trainer scowled back, angrily splashing water at the trio of girls who by now squealed from the sudden impact of water on their unsuited clothing for the pool.

"He got my dress!"

"No good kid!"

"You're gonna pay for that you little twerp," the one with the pink hair narrowed her eyes down at him, folding her arms. Steven didn't even bother attempting to remember her name due to the confusion _(that and he simply didn't care)_ and simply smirked this time, in knowing his own superiority over the girls.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" the Pallet bound trainer laughed as he pointed at the three in front of him madly, legs flailing wildly in the splashing water. A wincing Misty held onto his stomach from behind, the only force keeping him from drowning in the water.

And he didn't even realise it.

Steven suddenly stopped now and frowned at the girls in a strange expression. "What's that you say? Water on the dress?" the boy asked in a condescending mock English tone as he sipped at an imaginary tea and saucer. "Well I'm afraid we can't accept you into our great band of assholes of a school so ta-ta," he finished with a effortless mock wave of his 'free' left hand before abruptly bursting into laughter, his legs and arms splashing madly once again. His Squirtle had rejoined the two on the water and by now was staring at its flailing trainer with a puzzled expression on its face. The wincing Misty looked over at the Water type and offered it a sympathetic smile.

"Don't ask!" she called over as she held onto the hilarity that was Steven.

The splashing water flew up and up, striking across the squealing sisters' faces and bodies causing yet more surprised yells and as a result eliciting more hilarity laughter from their tormentor.

"I have to change these clothes!"

"My hair's a mess!" one of them lamented in a tearful squeal.

"Stop it!" the pink haired one – the one whom caused this damn her – yelled down at him and he did so.

But only because he _wanted_ to.

"Got water?" the young boy grinned and grabbing a quick handful of water threw it upward aiming for the wide eyed girl's face. She couldn't evade it in time and as a result splashed across her face eliciting a shriek and more laughter from the young trainer.

"You think you're pretty cute don't you, you little twerp?" she shot back in angry yell and Steven stopped once more if only to gloat.

He so loved to.

"Why yes I do and I am." the brown haired boy smirked before splashing yet more water in her shrieking face, laughing again. The three girls continued their yelling as they briskly turned and began running, presumably to recover from their ordeal. Steven finally stopped laughing and sighed, even wiping away a tear as he did so. "Oh that was great," he after chuckled grinning. Misty sighed as she held onto the boy in a disappointed tone.

"Still rilin' up the Cerulean sisters huh kid?"

Everyone gasped _(even the overconfident Steven)_ and turned their heads to find the grinning Travis at the doors. He unfolded his arms and began forward, making carefully sure to steer clear of Steven's position for obvious reasons.

"Hi uncle," Misty smiled up at the man as she held onto the frowning Steven in an obvious effort to stop the young boy from drowning.

"Squir!" the small turtle Pokémon in question smiled open mouthed at the blonde man, giving him a wave. Travis chuckled and waved back at them both before the three sisters ran over to him in a flurry of tears and wails.

"He messed up my hair!"

"He ruined my dress!"

"The little twerp's annoyed all of us!"

Travis blinked once and sighed as he brought the three into a hug, shutting his eyes as he did so, kneeling next to them. And just as he did so the three sisters snapped their heads 'round to smirk at the blinking Misty. She caught their looks _(and their meanings of course)_ and frowned disapprovingly but opted not to act anything out and allowed the three their 'moment'.

As always.

"Pussies." Steven muttered in a small scowl of his own. They all turned to look at him in shocked, gasping, widened eyes. "How can you expect to run a Water type Pokémon Gym and _not_ expect to get hit with a little water?" the young trainer smirked as he folded his arms and Misty couldn't help herself from giggling quietly.

He _was_ right at any rate.

Even Travis, whom held onto the young women for comfort, grinned a little and almost even chuckled.

"That's it!" the blonde haired one exclaimed out with and pointed accusingly at the blinking Steven thusly. "Misty we like, order you to like, use your Poké things and like, beat him!" she exclaimed out and Misty only blinked back at her.

"Well shouldn't I like, fix up my hair first or like, go shopping and get some fabulous outfits first?" Steven suddenly shot back in an obviously mock turn of his face, expression, head and voice _(a bad falsetto of course)_, placing a mock thoughtful finger on his chin as he did so. The three sisters immediately seethed as they listened and watched him mock them whereas Misty and Travis had to stop themselves from bursting out laughing. "'Cause after all, like no one likes a like, ugly ninny nanny, like right?" the young trainer carried on in a wide eyed turn of his head and face, opening up his mouth as he did so as if he were surprised. And that was it.

Travis and his red haired niece both burst out laughing at Steven's very bad and immature if still lightly humorous mocking. The sisters' faces were all plagued with anger and/or eye twitches.

"Am I right or am I right?" the young, overconfident trainer asked in his usual grin this time. They all glared back at him and Steven decided to be even more daring; he turned his face into a pure mocking, open mouthed grin, moving his eyes far to the top right of the room as he brought both his hands in a childishly mocking thumbs up. _(A/N: Lol awesome face; love it XD)_

That was it for the laughing two; Travis buckled down and began bashing at the floor in his hilarity whereas Misty couldn't hold on to the smirking Steven any longer and directed her hands to her sides in her own laughter, eliciting the wide eyed Steven to fall in a rather womanly squeal into the water. In his desperation the young boy began flapping his feet as quickly as he possibly could under the water's resilience and strength but unfortunately it didn't seem enough and just as he began to open his mouth in his surprise at his own demise he accidentally managed to push himself up in the water by extending his two feet to their far sides and then finally pushing the legs against the water. He surprised himself and stopped only for a moment to widen his own eyes before following through with the act once more and again and again.

He finally burst through the water and made it past the surface, breaking through in a wide eyed gasp. Keeping his momentum going, he began to rotate his feet across the water in a circle and looked down at himself. He laughed aloud as he realised his own newfound resilience to the water.

"Oh no!" Misty gasped as she recovered herself from her laughing fit, eyes widened in a loss of her open mouth smile in favour for a horror filled expression. "Sorry Ste-" she began but blinked at the sight in front of her. The boy smirked back at her in his usual overconfident expression but both his arms were outstretched to their respective sides in a shrug and he tilted his head to his lower right side in his overconfident expression. His Squirtle swam over to his side and imitated its trainer almost perfectly, grinning all the while. Misty laughed and smirked a little, tilting her own head to the side. "Well done Steven; I didn't think you could do it so fast," she chuckled in her own amazement and the trainer in question opened up his eyes to grin at her.

"Expect anything less?" he pseudo asked in his smirk and Misty laughed, eliciting a chuckle from the recovered Travis. The three sisters scowled angrily and stamped their feet in a childish show of annoyance at their verbal opponent's resilience.

"Guess you can challenge the Gym now huh?" Misty asked him in a raise of her red eyebrow. Steven only grinned back.

_**2**_

The two stood on opposite sides of each other, staring off one another. The Gym Leader Misty on the bottom end of the huge room and Trainer Steven on the other end.

"We've had this comin' for a while huh?" Misty called over in a small smile and Steven grinned back.

"Ever since I pissed you off back in Route Three." Steven shot back and the two exchanged knowing grins.

"Like, what are they talking about?" Daisy moaned in a scowl of her own.

"I know, like who else like, cares?" Violet agreed as she threw her hair back in her own scowl.

"Hold on kid!" Travis' shout came from a little far off. Steven turned in a frown to find the man next to him and his hand out. "Gotta check your credentials first," he claimed in his smile and Steven blinked before suddenly remembering his previous Gym fight in which he gave his Trainer Card's I.D. The young trunk wearing trainer smiled as he bent down and went into his red jacket pocket before finally bringing the said card out, allowing the blonde man to have a quick look.

He accepted it from the boy and pressed a small, hidden button on the card. Instantly in place of the young Steven's smiling face a frowning Professor Samuel Oak's face was there instead.

"I permit this individual to take part in the ICL branded Pokémon National League and all of its national Gyms." the digital representation stated once before it ended and disappeared soon after, leaving a trace of the crackling sound it made when played. Steven yanked the card back from the blonde man and frowned in a curious expression.

"I didn't know there was a button there, how'd you find that?" he asked in a scrunch of his eyes and expression, searching his card and raising it to the light in vain. Travis only chuckled and nodded to his right. Steven looked back up in a blink before turning his head back to his left to face his new opponent. The two now exchanged grins before she spoke up.

"We'll use two Pokémon each to make this fair," Misty called over and Steven nodded in his confident, if _over_confident in his grin.

"As if _this_ is fair though huh?" he shot back in his smirk and Misty couldn't help but chuckle at his childish overconfidence.

"You can use any type of Pokémon you want but as an added difficulty level we fight under the water," she claimed, placing a solitary hand on to her hip in a smile and Steven looked down once, feeling the small fear he once did before being renewed with confidence once again.

"Then let's go, huh?" he called in his grin, clenching his right un gloved fist. Misty chuckled once more before turning her head and nodding over to the watching Travis. The blonde uncle smiled back and nodded also, turning to walk to the wall. He turned back to exchange looks from both challengers and grinned before pushing the red button placed squarely on the wall. The ground suddenly started shaking and Steven's eyes widened as he stopped himself from falling, his Squirtle at his right side assisting. He managed to halt and hold himself up but noticed the ground closing over the large pool of water. Misty grinned over at him, noticing his growing panic and called over at him. He snapped his head up in wide eyed, grit teeth before suddenly receiving a helmet in his hands. "Huh?" he simply asked dumbly.

"Put it on!" she called over in a grin and sure enough stuck one of her own on her own head before she leapt into the pool head first. Steven blinked and shrugged, sticking on his helmet and taking his Squirtle in his right arm before finally following his opponent into the water. He found some small difficulty in regaining his control under the water first but soon rectified the small problem and managed to float easily once more. He grinned.

"I amaze even myself at times." he smirked inside his helmet as he looked down at his legs. He heard some strange muffled sounds that sounded familiar and snapped his head up to find the smiling Misty opening up two of her Poké balls up to release out a Shellder and a Poliwag. Steven smirked and exchanging a grinning nod with his Squirtle he opened up the Poké ball on his lower left belt. His wide eyed male Nidoran snapped its head around itself and Steven grinned over at it as he placed an oxygen generated nose hold on the poison type's own nose. It blinked once before breathing it through the nose and grinned over at its master. Steven nodded in his own grin and turned to face his opponent.

"Ready?" she called in her grin and Steven nodded.

"Whenever you are dude!" he called back in his smirk and she chuckled once.

"Then begin!" she called out inside her helmet and sprang forward using her legs, her Shellder and Poliwag swiftly following.

Steven smirked and exchanging one last grin with his two Pokémon he pushed himself, his Squirtle and Nidoran charging forward.

Squirtle narrowed its red eyes and pulled itself in a side rolling evasion, narrowly dodging its opponent Shellder's Ice Shard attack. Steven widened his eyes as he just barely avoided the shooting Ice Shards, barely keeping up with his Squirtle, let alone his enemies. Misty seemed to be laughing at him behind that helmet and under the water. He cursed.

He wouldn't do this unless…

"Squirtle! Nidoran!" he called behind his helmet and the two Pokémon sure enough, stopped swimming to turn. He had to work them to their strengths. He swam clumsily forward and instructed them quickly as time was short. "All right go!" he called out in a narrow eyed thrust of his finger.

Sure enough his Squirtle obeyed him and swam forward at its previous tempo and his Nidoran levitated itself in the water by continually kicking its feet; holding its position. Misty across from him – far across – seemed to cock her head in wonder at his strategy and he grinned under his helmet.

Too bad for _her_.

Just as he hoped she silently ordered her Poliwag forward whilst her Shellder continued its relentless Ice Shard attack. Fortunately Squirtle's quick EV training in its Speed statistic was sufficient enough for it to evade all the icy shards.

Steven smirked.

Good!

Misty's Poliwag came at his Nidoran at a faster speed than he'd anticipated but it was all good; he nodded at his Nidoran and it took form, eyes narrowed. The enemy Poliwag quickly began its attack in a Water Gun with swift aim but Nidoran managed to swerve underwater in time to avoid it, managing to get closer to its enemy at the same time. Misty silently watched and narrowed her eyes; her eyebrows furrowed.

Yes!

She didn't know!

The enemy Poliwag rushed forward, presumably for a Pound attack or a physical one at any rate.

Just what he wanted!

His Nidoran turned its head as quickly as it could as if for confirmation and Steven gave it grinning thumbs up. It turned its head back and braced itself, readying. The enemy Poliwag shot forward in an obvious charging attack; though to what attack specifically didn't really matter. Surely enough it pressed forward its tail in a Pound attack to strike Nidoran's face but the Poison type quickly lowered its head and changed its enemy's target from its head to its horn.

Misty noticed too late.

"Yes!" Steven called out as Poliwag's tail was suddenly stuck in the Poison type's own horn, impaling it.

"No!" Misty called back and reached forward as if to stop it from happening. Just as he'd hoped she lost her concentration on another part of the battle.

"Squirtle!" he called in his grin. Now with Poliwag safely subdued for now he could focus on the other two indefinitely. "Bite!" he shouted out in his grin. Misty only had time to turn her head and gasped in widened eyes as her enemy's Squirtle gripped her surprised Shellder by its shell in its mouth. "Now do it!" the Squirtle's trainer exclaimed excitedly.

"Agh!" Misty began in a wince but righted herself quickly. "Shellder quick use Iron Defe-"

"Nidoran!" Steven called and Misty snapped her head over and Steven grinned.

Panic flared in her face.

His Squirtle did just as it was told and bit down on its enemy's shell. He heard the Shellder give a gasp and a wheeze before its long tongue rolled out, its dark eyes crossed out.

Already?

That Squirtle was pretty damn strong now!

Something above his head blinked and gave off a light above the water line's surface and he blinked himself in confusion for the first time since the battle had started. "What's-" he began but a quick flash in front of him made him snap his head forward.

"I don't believe it," Misty muttered in widened eyes.

"I don't _believe it!_" Steven parroted in wide, disbelieving eyes, his grin following soon after.

It was _happening!_

His Squirtle was now enveloped in a bright, white light and Steven had to look away so as not to damage his eyes. Soon the light had dissipated and a new being stood in Squirtle's place.

All that battling worked!

_Yes!_

The newly evolved Wartortle floated in the water with its eyes shut, slowly lowering its eyes in a frown before suddenly snapping its eyes open and Misty flinched at it as if in sudden fear.

"Wartortle!" he called in an open mouthed grin and the Water type turned its head in a frown. "You can do this alone!" he claimed confidently. "_Do it!_" he exclaimed gleefully and the Turtle Pokémon smirked a fang at him before suddenly disappearing from sight.

Even Steven stopped to widen his eyes.

He barely managed to see the speedy form of his new Wartortle zipping across the water field, pulled back into its protective shell. It struck the wide eyed Poliwag and sent it careering across the water field painfully; it ended its initially quick assault in a spin and quickly popped back up out of its shell, turning on its heel in the water with a grin. It exchanged a grin with its trainer and even issued him a mutual high five. Nidoran stared in amazement.

Steven nodded in an amazed, grinning look before pointing forward. Instantly the Wartortle swam forward, maintaining its balance using its ears and tail.

"Shellder!" Misty called to the near fainted Pokémon in futile, eyes widened.

"Now Wartortle!" Steven called after the grinning Water Type. "_Overkiiiill!_" he screamed out in a gleeful grin and the Turtle Pokémon did just so; it spun around so quickly even its trainer couldn't see it moving before it suddenly reappeared dead centre in front of the wide eyed Shellder. It swiftly round house attacked the Shellder with its tail in a confident grin.

"_AQUA TAAAAAIL!_" Steven screamed in his open mouthed grin.

"No!" Misty exclaimed fearfully.

The Shellder was instantly sent flying out the pool.

Outside the battle area over the pool Travis flinched as he watched Misty's Poliwag appear flying out the pool and smash into the wall. The three Cerulean sisters suddenly exclaimed in their own brand of fear.

"The hell was _that?_" Travis muttered in widened eyes.

A grinning, wide eyed Steven and a blue coloured, evolved form of Squirtle came rushing out of the pool's water suddenly and Travis flinched again before he watched the laughing brown haired, helmeted boy exchange a high five with his newly evolved, grinning Pokémon.

Then fall straight into the water again, splashing water everywhere.

The three Cerulean sisters all wailed as water – once again – splashed them ferociously, covering them in the wet, blue coloured liquid.

"My favourite dress!"

"Now my boyfriend won't want to go out with me tonight!"

"I'm gonna _kill him!_"

Sure enough as if on cue a laughing and grinning Steven came rushing back out of the water but this time he rode his newly evolved Wartortle's back as if it were a skateboard and Wartortle grinned its fangs with him.

Travis shook his head and folded his arms as he chuckled, watching.

Misty sighed as she watched now from the water's surface along with a frowning Nidoran. "Oh Steven." she sighed in a small smile, eyes shut.

_**3**_

"Well kid you did good and so…" Travis began for his niece in a folded armed smile as he stepped away from the area a little to allow her room. Misty gave him a wan smile before advancing forward on the grinning Steven.

"… And so per the ICL branded Pokémon Association and with all of its honours and achievements I permit to you the Cerulean City Gym's Cascade Badge," the red haired Gym Leader smiled lightly as she took out a small case and opened it up in front of the young boy. His grin slowly widened as he caught sight of the radiant glow coming within and quickly gave her a look. She nodded in her smile and he grinned back before snatching up the badge.

"Wartortle? You ready?" he asked the Turtle Pokémon in a grin and it nodded along with him. He spun the tear shaped badge around his right index finger before snapping it in the air and snatching it back. Then he forced it forward and grinned, one eye closed in a victory pose. His Wartortle of course had imitated him perfectly. "Cascade Badge; get!" he exclaimed in his grin and Misty snorted, looking away in hilarity as she did so. The Cerulean three in the background giggled.

"Poser." one of them muttered.

"Wait that sounded entirely Japanese." Steven stopped suddenly in a frown and Wartortle shrugged. Steven joined it and grinned back before giving it another high five.

Misty sighed as she watched him.

Maybe wait 'till later to break the news to him.

A/N: Lol Japanese


	10. Rivers

**Chapter 10:**** Rivers**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise and chances are incredibly high I never will. Oh. *Sniff* ****= (**

**Featured Music****: **_**"Prayer" – **__Pokémon Anime OST. Scene __**1.**_

_** "Route 1" – **__Pokémon Red and Blue. Scene __**2.**_

_** "Wild Pokémon Battle" – **__Pokémon Red and Blue. Scene __**2.**_

_** "Tears, After the Cloudy Weather" – **__Pokémon Anime OST. Scene __**5**_

_A/N: WOOOOOOOOOOO!_

_**Scene 1**_

"_Son, go on; open it." the man smiled down at him and William blinked before slowly smiling back. He walked over to the __small wrapped present and ripped at the packaging. Finally opening it up, he took out a simple red and white coloured sphere._

_A Poké ball._

_But… what…?_

_He turned to his father in an inquisitive blink and received a smiling nod as if to confirm. William frowned but opened the Poké ball anyway to reveal a brown coloured Pokémon animal. It spoke its name at him in a small smile._

_An Abra._

"_Father… you're giving me…" he began in widened eyes as he stared at the four legged Pokémon before he was swiftly interrupted. _

"_Only as a pet of course." the man claimed as he leaned in with a smile and William blinked as he listened further. "I know how much you love computers but you've got to have companionship in your life Billy," the man smiled and William smiled lightly back._

… _He _was_ right…_

_Suddenly the front door was knocked._

_Tension rose in William's body and seemed to do so in his father's as well as his watching mother's. She sat watching from the living room sofa, cradling the smaller form of his baby brother in her arms._

"_David." she called quietly in a hushed whisper and he frowned back up at her, nodding in silence._

"_Buddy you just stay here okay?" he smiled down at his eldest son and William merely nodded, frowning. If he was right then…_

_David Rivers slowly advanced out the main lobby to reach the front door and was soon disappeared from William's view. He gulped as he heard the door open slowly. _

_If it was them…_

_He sat in silence and listened._

"_Why are you bothering my family at a time like this? Christmas no less?"_

"_You still haven't gotten the job done,"_

"_It's a public holiday for Christ sakes!"_

_William flinched as he listened._

"_Don't make us do this David,"_

"_No! Fuck you all! Leave me and my family alone! Just leave us the hell alone!" _

_As soon as he finished speaking a sharp sound suddenly exclaimed from the door._

_Like a gunshot. _

_William gasped and gripping the watching Abra's body close to his own he backed away against the sofa, his head against it. His mother consoled him with a quiet and audible 'shh'._

_He heard his father grunt (probably from the shot) and sure enough he saw him sag backwards in obvious pain. A black dressed man suddenly advanced on him and with lightning speed he stuck something in his father's chest. The two went flying forward, crashing into the wall; David back first. He gasped (as he could only seem to) as the black dressed man grinned at him, a knife held in his right hand, pushing it in further. _

_His father turned his head slowly and with blood running down his mouth he winced continuously as he reached at nothing but air but obviously directing his left arm toward the wide eyed and watching William._

"_F-Father," he muttered, eyes widened as he sat froze. The black dressed assaulter turned his head 'round to William's position in an inquisitive blink before he grinned maliciously back at him._

_He looked so scary._

_His mother suddenly shot off the sofa and grabbed William's hand, pulling him up._

"_Run!" she exclaimed as she did just that and William gasped as he followed clumsily, holding on to the confused Abra. He couldn't resist in turning his head around however and widened his eyes as he saw one of the now many black dressed man violating his father's dead corpse._

_Tears stung at his eyes._

_He heard them scream after him and heard his mother huff as she ran up the stairs to a room, one with a window probably._

_It took its toll on him._

_Midway up the stairs his mother stopped in widened eyes and a gasp and William turned his head back 'round in a gasp of his own._

_A Sandshrew had dug straight out the stairs' steps and glared at them as it very clearly blocked their path._

_What should they do?_

_He wanted to cry!_

"_Here!" his mother suddenly cried and shoved the child in her arms into Williams' already full ones. He struggled to keep hold but he raised his head to speak over his crying baby brother's screaming cries._

"_M-Mother w-" he began but he widened his eyes as he caught sight of her rushing forward, arms splayed out in front in a defensive gesture. The Sandshrew saw it and rushed forward in an obvious attack._

_Oh no!_

_He made to run forward and stop it somehow but by then they were already too fast. _

_The Sandshrew's claws raked his mother's flesh and she screeched in the pain as she fell down the stairs in a lifeless heap, rolling across the steps past the wide eyed and crying William._

"_MOTHER!"_ _he screamed down at her as if in plead to raise herself. _

_But even he knew it was over._

_One of the intruders turned a corner and came face to face with him down the stairs; a young girl perhaps around fifteen, sixteen years, older than him. She looked up at him in a grin but it seemed to be a faux one._

_As if she was having trouble keeping it…_

"_S-Sandshrew!" she exclaimed and the Ground type exclaimed to attention. William gasped and began to breathe heavily. She hesitated and William's heart beat raced. She looked away and spoke in a wince. "Fury Swipes!" she exclaimed and the Ground type once again exclaimed to action before rushing forward as it did beforehand in an obvious attack. William's eyes stung with tears once again and he yelled along with his crying baby brother, shutting his eyes as he awaited his fate._

_But he didn't see the bright and white light that surrounded him moments before he was attacked._

_He waited…_

_And waited…_

_And felt…_

… _Nothing._

_William gasped and opened up his eyes to lock eyes with pure brown wood._

"_Wha-" he began in a confused blink and his Abra smiled up at him from his right arm. "Abra? Did you…?" he asked in an inquisitive frown and it nodded exuberantly. He suddenly remembered in his studying that the Psychic Pokémon Abra could use the move 'Teleport'._

… _He was saved._

_But…_

_But his mother…_

_And father…!_

_He began to cry again and sniffed quietly as he sat in his brother's closet._

_Wait._

_His… brother's…?_

_No!_

_Ben!_

_He made ready to leap out the closet and rush for his other, younger brother but he heard footsteps on the stairs leading to this room._

_Oh no!_

_Full of fear and cowardice he backed himself back down and winced as he watched from an open crack in the closet, light spilling through. He saw the younger Ben by three years hiding obviously under his bed and that's where he failed. William attempted to open the closet door a little to alert his brother to move forward to his place of safety._

_But then the intruder made it to the room._

… _No…_

… _Not yet…_

_He turned his eyes over to his right and the room's entrance to find the fifteen year old girl again, accompanied by her Sandshrew and she frowned down at the bed as if in knowing._

_No!_

_But…_

_Paralysed with fear…!_

_The Sandshrew sniffed around the room and moved forward. It turned its head to its trainer as it grabbed hold of the quilt on the bed and received a confirming nod. The Sandshrew instantly threw off the cover with surprising strength and Ben, underneath the bed, let out a frightened squeak._

_He shouldn't have spoken!_

_The Sandshrew rushed under the bed and Ben squeaked again before he crawled as quickly as he could out the other end but the Sandshrew caught him by the left leg and swiftly yanked him back out. He yelled as he was pulled and rolled across the floor, landing at the young girl's feet. _

_One of the black dressed men walked in and grinned down at his body before handing his colleague a weapon; a gun._

"_Lucky dude. Go ahead." he grinned at her and the young girl winced as she held the gun up to point at the whining Ben. He backed away against the wall in a wincing cry of his own, grappling his knees together against his chest as he did so. She held the gun shakily in both her hands and her face shook along with it in winces._

_William watched from the closet in growing fear._

"_The _hell_ man?" her colleague frowned in a small scowl as he advanced forward and took out a knife, already bloodied._

_The same man!_

_He lowered forward and grinned down at the crying Ben, raising his knife overhead._

_Instantly a gunshot screeched through the air like a ferocious Fearow and William gasped, teary eyes widened once more until he realised just who was shot._

_The wide eyed black dressed man grunted weakly as he turned his head slowly, his stomach shot through and bleeding profusely. He growled at his colleague and seeming leader, reaching for her possibly in an attempt to wring her throat before he grunted once more in his pain as he fell to the ground face down._

_Dead._

_The long, brown haired girl's hands shook before she dropped the gun to the floor with an audible click, wincing as she did so. She turned to face the quivering Ben and sighed, looking away before she advanced on him slowly, kneeling down in front of him. She stared at him in a melancholic expression before moving forward to take him in an embracing hug. The young boy's own eyes widened greatly as he __sat there frozen._

"_I'm sorry." the young girl began to cry in her hug as she shook. Ben's widened eyes turned slowly down to the back of her brown haired head. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed quietly. Ben's body had regained control and his arms slowly wrapped themselves around her neck._

"_I forgive you." the young boy whispered in his frown and the young girl's teary eyes widened, spilling the salty liquid. She slowly smiled before hugging the young boy fiercer._

_William frowned as he watched; his former fear dissolved to a mere throb in his heart._

_He even made ready to leave the closet and join his brother._

_And then one of the intruders walked in once again._

_William gasped as did the other two in the room, snapping their eyes over to the new intruder. William could only see that it was a tall man with pure ebony and well ironed trousers, shiny black shoes and a long buttoned up coat. _

"_Amanda," his deep voice quietly called and the brown haired girl in question quickly wiped at her eyes before standing to attention thusly, her Sandshrew imitating her perfectly._

"_Sir!" she exclaimed and William tried to crane his neck to lay eyes on the mystery intruder but to no avail; he was too tall and William was too cramped to see._

"_Why are you hugging the target?" the man asked in his deep, intimidating voice. Amanda visibly gulped down saliva before retort._

"_I w-was… checking for weapons!" she exclaimed as she saluted him. The man seemed to be staring at her in silence. "I was t-thinking sir." she began uncertainly. "Could we keep this boy alive?" she asked suddenly. The man seemed to be staring at her once more as if considering her request._

_This man seemed to command a lot of respect._

_Was he the Commander In Chief…?_

"_Why?"_

"_W-Well I was… thinking that since he's a member of the Rivers family then… then he may provide us with some great assistance in our research!" she exclaimed out and the man seemed quiet once again before finally speaking._

"_Very well. I'll leave him under your care Amanda," he spoke and Amanda slowly gained a smile on her face._

"_Thank you sir," she gasped in her wary smile before the man spoke suddenly again._

"_And what of this Grunt? Why did you neutralise him?" he demanded in a sharp tone of voice and Amanda winced instantly before glancing down at the now dead corpse of her former colleague._

"_He-" she began in a frown as she exchanged a wide eyed look with Ben. "He tried to neutralise the targeted subject and fail my mission!" she exclaimed suddenly once again. The man stared silently again before finally and audibly chuckling._

"_Excellent job Miss Nicole." the man congratulated before turning on his well made heel and exiting the room. However he stopped short of exiting fully and William could imagine him turning his head 'round a little half way. "Oh and if I see you hesitate like that before killing a target you'll be the one to suffer," he claimed in another deep, intimidating tone._

_Amanda shook as she frowned, nodded and saluted once more. "Y-Yes sir." she replied. The man turned his head back around and continued out._

_Tensions still in the air but now dissolving away William watched the frightened Amanda turn and smile to his younger brother before she held out a hand to him, inviting him._

"_Welcome… to Team Rocket." she smiled at him sweetly and the young boy blinked tears out of his eyes before warily taking the older girl's hand and standing up before being led out the door._

_That was the last William ever saw of Benjamin Rivers._

_**2**_

"Forgive me if I seem out o' liiiine." Steven sang as he walked; pointing his two index fingers across his sides, shut eyes as he listened to an MP3 player via head phones. "Then she whiiipped out her gun and tried to _blow me away!_" he suddenly exclaimed in a shut eyed grin before one of the flaps of his head phones were force up. He blinked and pressed 'pause' on the music device before turning to find a lightly scowling Misty. "What?" he asked innocently in a blinking frown.

"I realise you enjoy your music but you gotta keep an eye on the road too," the former Gym Leader claimed as she frowned and Steven pulled his head phone flap back in a childish pout.

"I got it under control," he shot back in his pouting frown.

Misty rolled her green eyes before proceeding forward, her right hand stabilising her red bag. "You _don't_ have it under control and probably never wi-" she began but a sudden swoop just above her head caused him to widen his eyes in a surprised blink.

Next thing he knew she was gone.

What the-

He heard her shout above him and snapped his head up in a blink.

A large Flying type Pokémon gripped her by its talons, flying through the air. Steven winced.

"Aw _man_ she ain't gonna be happy," he muttered in a painful wince.

"Steve! This is your fault!" he heard her exclaim down at him in obvious anger. Steven winced again.

"Yeesh." he muttered before fishing out a Poké ball. "Okie dokie; Nidoran let's get goin'!" the Trainer grinned as he threw forward the enlarged Poké ball. Out popped – of course – the Poison type itself and it stood on its small feet in a glare as it always did, ready for its opponent.

"The Nidoran? Steve! Stop playin' around!" Misty's screeching voice came from above and Steven growled.

"Hey, shut up!" he called back. "Nidoran's been my Pokémon since the dawn of time!" he claimed excessively before nodding down to the Poison type. It nodded back before it shot forward a purple coloured stinger from its horn, aiming for the wild Fearow.

"Agh not me!" Misty shouted down at him in wide eyed fear and anger as the Fearow looped the sky to avoid the obvious Poison Sting attack. "You idiot! I could've died!" Misty screeched down at him again and Steven rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Okay fine!" he shot back in an annoyed pout before nodding to his Nidoran. "Dig under!" he ordered and it nodded before doing so. Misty blinked at him before face palming and Steven smirked.

She had _no_ idea.

His Nidoran pointed its purple coloured horn out of the ground suggestively and the Fearow's eyes glinted, snapping around to face the horned Pokémon. Misty yelled as it suddenly turned tail and flew straight after the purple horn like a brown bullet.

"What are you _dooooiiiiiing?_" Misty screeched madly as she stared in front of herself in the only action she could do, obviously fearful.

"That's it," Steven grinned as he stood in a permanent position.

"_STEEEEEEEEEVE!_" Misty screamed in half anger, half fear.

The wild Fearow grabbed hold of Nidoran's sunken horn and quickly attempted to pull it out in mid air, perhaps fearful of letting go of its current prey.

Greedy, Steven thought.

And its last mistake!

"NIDORAAAAAAN!" Steven exclaimed out in a victory grinning punch in the air. The Fearow's _(and Misty's)_ eyes simultaneously widened before Nidoran suddenly burst out of the ground, horn burst in the Flying type's chest. It screamed out in pain with its own eyes widened as its Poison type adversary pushed it a surprising height upwards. "YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH!" the Kanto bound trainer screamed out in a victorious grin, a synthetic punch in the air as an added response.

Misty soon fell from the wild Fearow's grip and Steven stopped for once in widened eyes.

"Uh oh." he muttered before rushing forward. He leapt and sure enough, managed to catch the falling former Gym Leader in his arms and grunted at the pain that shot through them as a result of his neglect at his _own_ training. However he soon recovered and looked up at the blushing Misty with a trollish grin. "Problem Misty?" he asked in a mockingly trollish tone, his face taking a strange expression. She scowled at him; her blush lost and soon bashed him in the head before standing up, dusting herself off as Steven spluttered in annoyed pain.

"Not that I'm impressed or anything…" she began in her scowl before turning her scowl on him as she did so, raising a curious red eyebrow as she did so. "But how did you know to do that?" she asked as she turned her body 'round, placing her hands on her hips as if demanding the answer. Steven grinned overconfidently as he usually did, tipping his red cap up in an arrogant gesture as he stood before bringing out the Pokédex the Kanto Professor entrusted him with. He opened it up with an audible click and held the device to the girl's blinking face.

_#022 Fearow__ – Classification: Beak Pokémon_

_It cleverly uses its thin, long beak to pluck and eat small insects that hide under the ground._

"I took advantage of Fearow's behaviour and poisoned it using a combination of Nidoran's Poison Point ability as well as a Poison Sting attack and so calculating the double thirty percent chance of poisoning the enemy _that's_ doubled to _sixty_ percent." he finished his explanation in a raised finger grin as he pulled back his Pokédex. Misty blinked as she listened to him in awe.

Was this really him…?

"Oh!" he blinked himself in a surprised manner before turning back in a grin to find the huffing Fearow, poisoned and barely able to lift itself from the ground, his Nidoran poised and ready to attack again, given the order of course. It turned its purple head to him in expecting and Steven waved it off in his confident grin. "Nah that's cool Nido; no need. Maybe _now_ it'll think different than to mess with us huh?" the Pokémon Trainer smirked as he shut his eyes and tilted his head to the side, shrugging in an obvious pose as he did so. His Nidoran imitated its trainer as much as it could given its reliance on four feet.

Misty rolled her eyes; _there_ he was.

Probably just misplaced after that battling and supposed knowledge.

"Come on." Steven grinned back at her before lowering himself so his Nidoran could climb on his shoulder, moving forward. Misty pouted lightly and pressed her hands to her hips in an obviously disapproving manner. "What?" the Pallet bound trainer asked in a confused blink. She nodded her head soundlessly and wordlessly toward the fallen and poisoned Fearow before the trainer caught on. "Oh fine." he muttered and lowered his shoulder so his Nidoran could jump back off before taking off his back pack and placing it down.

He lowered to his knees and muttering under his breath childishly as he did so he took out a man made, ICL brand Antidote for poison cleaning uses and raised it over the shut eyed, huffing Fearow. Pressing on the spray bottle he gave it a few squirts on the wild Fearow and sure enough after a few seconds the Flying and Normal dual type blinked out of its pain and snapped its small head around in a scowl before finally narrowing its eyes at the taken aback trainer.

"Damn man; I saved you!" he exclaimed back in annoyance.

"You also poisoned it," Misty pointed out in a frown as she raised a know it all finger and Steven pouted childishly back at her. The Fearow raised itself back on its talon legs before growling at him and Steven winced before readying his Nidoran for attack again and the Poison type ran in front of its trainer protectively, narrowing its eyes daringly as it did so. The large wild Fearow's eyes widened and it backed away a couple of awkward steps, as if wary and Steven's eyes widened a tad before he registered the Fearow's fright and grinned.

He had it!

"Steven no!" Misty called and the trainer in question blinked over at her.

"What?" he asked indignantly.

"You shouldn't attack it just because you _can_. You'd be no better than the Fearow if you did that." the red haired girl claimed as she frowned, folding her arms and Steven frowned back. Registering what she said however he soundlessly shook his head at his Nidoran not to attack and it pulled back lightly. Steven narrowed his eyes at the wild Fearow and nodded toward it, as if condoning its leave. The Flying and Normal type turned its tail and flew up into the air, flapping its wings as it left the three in the direction they came from. "See; didn't that feel better?" Misty smiled as she walked beside the trainer and joining her hands behind her back she tilted her body and head to match his.

He pouted childishly back as he looked away from her green eyes. "I guess." he muttered. Misty rolled her eyes but kept her smile as she elbowed him to usher him forward. The trainer frowned as he allowed his Nidoran back on his shoulder and continued after her.

Until they were stopped.

"Hey; stop right there!"

The two trainers blinked as they did just that, examining the watching man ahead of him whom was currently glaring at the pair. He looked older than them _(perhaps around twenty five to twenty seven years)_ and wore a pure black coloured outfit with a red 'R' emblem embossed on the front with an also black coloured hat adorning his head.

It was as if it screamed his intimidation just by his _uniform_…

He pointed his black glove at them in a scowl and spoke. "You shouldn't be there! Why are you stationed here?" he demanded in a scowl and the two trainers blinked.

The hell was he…?

"Answer me!" he demanded thusly.

"Uh." Steven began in a wincing turn of his eyes and Misty quickly spoke up to save the day.

"We were told just to wait here and we were attacked by a stray Fearow. Steven luckily managed to fight it off though," Misty claimed as she smiled at the man and he seemed to narrow his eyes back at them as if to confirm their story. With no other choice than to take her word for it however he eased up and frowned at them, lowering his arm as he did so before walking forward.

"New recruits?" he asked lowly and Misty nodded as she held onto her back pack with one arm.

"Yeah; we didn't even get any uniforms yet," the former Gym Leader claimed as she smiled back at the frowning, suspicious man.

"Mm. I'll believe that." he replied as he eased up further, his eyes easing. "Team Rocket's going through some strong financial problems." the black dressed man claimed and Misty nodded as if agreeing silently. "Wait… Your codenames. What are they?" he asked, his narrowed eyes returning. Steven winced and turned to his companion who in turn had widened her own eyes but kept her smile up, as if to ward off the suspicion.

"Uh well-" Steven began and imitated his friend in an inviting smile. The black dressed man turned his head in his small scowl, raising a black eyebrow. "M-My codename was- is even; Oblivion," the young Pallet born trainer claimed in a shaky smile and Misty chuckled before nodding.

"Yeah; mine's is Tsunami," the red haired trainer smiled along with her companion. The man seemed to take his time in verifying these codenames and looked between the two smiling trainers as if to notice some kind of fallacy; some problem in their speech.

As if their expressions may give it away.

"Okay." he frowned back and eased up lightly.

They evaded a _bullet_.

"But you'll wanna get rid of those stupid ass smiles; Team Rocket don't take kindly to attitude like that." he claimed and scowled as he did so. Steven and Misty exchanged a blink before nodding in badly done scowls of their own. The Rocket member laughed in their faces. "Fuckin' kids; love 'em." he shot back before grinning and turning, ushering them forward with a pull of his index finger. Misty and Steven gave each other a simultaneous shrug before following the Rocket member quietly.

"Nice move," Steven whispered over to the walking Water type user in a small frown.

"Yours too; how did you come up with that codename?" she asked, amazed at his ingenuity.

"Uh well I just thought of the coolest name in mind and that popped right up." he grinned back and she chuckled lightly. "But wait; how did you know who he was and what he wanted?" Steven questioned in a curious blink quietly.

Misty smiled and rose a know it all finger into the air. "Well he comes from Team Rocket; the big red 'R' on his shirt's chest should've been enough for you," she shot back and Steven blinked.

"I don't know 'em," he replied in a small pout.

"Not my fault you're uninformed," she shrugged.

"Hey!"

The two trainers instantly stiffened and turned their heads up to the staring Rocket member.

"Ain't payin' you to gab all day ya know." he shot down at them in a threatening stare and the two nodded their heads silently in simultaneous frowns as they followed him up the small hill. "Come on." he ordered in a final scowl before turning his head and body as he climbed the hill.

They followed and sure enough came across the Sea Cottage on top of Route Twenty Five and Misty gasped as she widened her eyes. Steven issued her an inquisitive blink and the Rocket member turned his head around to stare at her strangely.

"What is it?" the Team Rocket dressed man asked in a suspicious raise of his eyebrow and Misty blinked before snapping her head back over to the man in a small smile.

"No it's fine. Thought I saw um… a legendary Pokémon that's all," she claimed in her smile and the man narrowed his eyes once more before turning and walking off. Steven turned his head and widened his eyes.

"Where? I gotta catch it!" he exclaimed heartily in a grin and Misty bashed him on the head instantly. He didn't scream but held his pain through both hands and grit his teeth. "What was that for?" he exclaimed again indignantly and Misty drove her face into her right palm as a result.

The Rocket Grunt turned his head in a scowl. "He causing any trouble?" he asked in a narrow of his eyes.

"No, no he's fine!" Misty laughed nervously as she took the wide eyed Steven by her left arm, pulling him in so his mouth was involuntarily shut. "He's just anxious to start is all," she added on in a nervous chuckle, her eyes shut to avoid any possible showing of fear.

"Can't imagine what's to be excited about." the man sneered once before turning his head back 'round and continuing on. Misty instantly lost her smile and snapped a scowl down at the pouting Steven.

"Jeez when was the last time you showered?" Steven muttered annoyingly as he struggled lightly. The former Gym Leader quickly gained a blushing red face before pushing the young boy off her instantly, dusting herself off, as if dirtied by him somehow. "Ha." the young Kanto trainer grinned back as he lied on his rear on both arms before pushing himself up. "Better follow him." the young boy murmured however in a small wince as he realised the Rocket Grunt's continued walk ahead of them. Misty rolled her eyes at his level of ineptness before following quietly.

Two other men _(not dressed as obvious looking as the first Rocket member)_ were standing outside the Sea Cottage's main front door, as if standing guard but Steven got the creepy feeling these men weren't here to _guard_ something but to keep whatever what was in that house _in_. Then he realised why the first Rocket member had mistook Misty and him also for Rocket members. He turned his head and Misty's own green eyes had widened a small fraction; enough for the young trainer to discern that perhaps she registered the same discovery he had.

She was smarter than he thought!

"What are you two starin' at? Move it!" the first Rocket member grunted at them and the two snapped their eyes forward and nodded, walking forward. Steven vaguely remembered there being a special documentary on the television about this area and the man whom lived _(possibly still)_ inside.

What was his name again…?

"All right. You two come in with me." the black dressed man ordered and the two trainers nodded wordlessly once more. The man turned his black coloured, hat wearing head to also nod towards his supposed two colleagues. The casual dressed men scowled back and nodded back wordlessly before stepping to their respective sides; left and right. The Rocket Grunt moved forward and opened up the Sea Cottage's door, ushering the two trainers to follow in a side nod of his head. Steven gulped and followed.

Somehow he was afraid of what he'd see here.

But… why…?

Moreover how were they gonna get out of this?

They already thought they were in league with 'em!

Steven's fear grew.

They were more or less _prisoners _now.

He just hoped _they_ didn't know that…

"Yo!" the first Rocket Grunt exclaimed and a man in front of him stopped his current activities which seemed to be standing over another man holding some kind of weapon…

Was that a _whip?_

Sure enough the ravaged man beneath the second Rocket Grunt was covered in whip bruises, slashes and whimpered as the second man stopped his attacks. He turned his head in an expected scowl.

And Steven's fear grew to an unprecedented level.

"_No!"_ he exclaimed in his mind as he took in the man's appearance. Short black hair adorned his hatless head, a scar here or there and even a piece of his left ear missing as well as the tell tale Team Rocket Grunt outfit.

The black haired man quickly took in his comrade before slowly trailing over the wide eyed Misty and Steven's forms. Steven's heart beat raced as he watched the black haired man's face and finally he slowly issued a grin on his expression.

"No!" he heard Misty shout. The first Rocket Grunt turned his head in a narrow eyed, curious blinking scowl.

Instantly and without even thinking, the young Pallet trainer turned his heel and ran for the door but before he could a hand gripped at his red jacket's back collar, successfully pulling him back. Steven's red eyes widened even further as he was pulled so far back he fell to his rear suddenly. His capped head snapped up instantly to find the first Rocket Grunt scowling down at him. He looked around instantly to find the second Grunt _(the one he was most afraid of)_ holding up a choking Misty by the neck, raising her up off the ground. His left hand held her own free right in place in the air while her left clutched at his neck holding right and all this while she vainly attempted to escape by kicking at his shins.

Her once bright, diamond green eyes turned over to Steven's widened red and stared as if pleading him for something.

Help?

Leave?

Steven's legs felt like jelly and he couldn't move them.

The fear…

It was too much…!

Suddenly Misty gained a sudden scowl on her face before she suddenly growled and bit down on the black haired man's right arm, eliciting a pained cry in response and he successfully let go of her neck. She tumbled down on her knees and coughed out as she did so, breathing in as quickly as she could for much needed oxygen.

"Little bitch!" the black haired man exclaimed in his angered pain, gripping at his right hand with his left. She raised her head in a small scowl of her own before she saw his left back sided hand fly across her left cheek. Her green eyes widened and possibly in the sudden pain her eyes rolled forward and she collapsed on the ground to her right, arms splayed forward as she did so.

Steven watched it all in widened, red eyes and a quivering lower lip as he shook.

"What do you wanna do about the kid?" the first Rocket Grunt asked in a frown as he turned his head toward his supposed superior. The second Rocket Grunt turned his head in his scowl and blew on his hand before slowly grinning at the shaking Steven.

"I got plans for him." the man grinned before he advanced forward, shaking his right hand as if to alleviate some of the lingering pain. However he seemed to have no trouble in lifting the heavily breathing Steven into the air as he did Misty. He held him up against the wall in the same fashion as he did his now unconscious red haired companion and Steven's throat began to feel constricted as the man grinned at him, his right hand pressing harder.

Steven couldn't even feel his legs and so his body merely shook as his own arms involuntarily went flying up to grip at his enemy's arms just as his friend had done. "Remember me kid?" he vaguely heard the black haired man ask in his grin. "Pewter Gym. You and your little friend _fucked_ things over for me there and my own little friend was there to save your worthless fucking life." the man grinned quietly as he spoke, staring straight into Steven's blinking, red eyes. The man's eyes narrowed as he stared. "But he ain't here today; it's just you and me kid." he chuckled ominously and his eyes narrowed even further – if that were possible. "Just you and me." he finished in his creepy chuckling, his grin further widening as he did so.

"Yo Rick." the first Rocket Grunt called quietly in a concerned frown but he seemed to pay no mind. Rick pressed harder on Steven's throat and the young boy began to choke harder, his eyes turning red; this time with blood. "Rick!" he tried again, this time loudly and he _did_ acknowledge the voice; his dark eyes snapped 'round as he gained a sudden scowl on his face. He let go of the now coughing and collapsed Steven, allowing him to breathe in oxygen as he turned his heel and slowly advanced on the gasping first Rocket Grunt.

He stopped in front of him and looked up at him in a thunderous scowl that seemed to speak more than words could and narrowed his eyes lightly as he did so. "What?" he whispered lowly, staring quietly and angrily.

The Rocket Grunt could only stare back before finally managing to utter a word. "U-Um." he began in a mutter, his own eyes widened and he chanced a step back wards.

Mistake.

With lightning speed Rick drew out some kind of firing weapon and pulled the trigger, aiming for his comrade's forehead. It fired out a bullet and screamed through his head before the Rocket Grunt could even exclaim. The man's widened eyed head recoiled from the sudden impact before he slowly fell to the ground, his head full of arterial spray.

Time slowed down and Steven by now had stopped coughing and breathing altogether as he slowly ingested what had just taken place. He slowly watched as the man once thought to be Rick's comrade fall slowly to the ground, covered in his own blood from a hand gun's bullet, attacked by his own comrade.

"Better not have gotten blood on my fuckin' suit." Rick muttered under his breath as he dusted off his suit in question, scowling as always. With that business finished however he turned his head and slowly grinned once more. Steven's red eyes widened and he slowly gained his ability to breathe once again; Rick's face covered in his comrade's blood grinned down at him.

"I-I-I-" Steven began uncertainly and unable to finish, widened eyes as he tried to speak, backing away into a corner as he did so.

"You're fucked." the Rocket Grunt snickered as he lowered his shining hand gun weapon down to point at the trainer's gasping face. Rick gained a wider grin and his eyes narrowed lightly before speaking. "That's what you are." he finished and a shot burst out from the weapon.

_**3**_

"Gee! It sure is _boring_ around here," Kevin moaned loudly as he walked down the roads between Route Twenty Four and Twenty Five, his arms placed up behind the back of his head in a carefree manner.

"Oh hush." Kimberley shot back in a small scowl as she turned her head once to speak, turning it back as she walked. "We _did_ only find out it was called 'Nugget' bridge for a reason,"

"More like _NED BRIDGE _amirite?" the fifteen year old Renegade smirked back as he turned his face in a troll like manner, grinning over at her as he did so. The brown haired Wanderer frowned and back handed his face away harmlessly in a drooping eyed expression. Kevin pouted childishly back before a screeching sound suddenly emanated to his right. The Renegade sniffed in sudden surprise and snapped his head to his right, eyes widened and his lips pursed forward as if in kissing.

It looked strange indeed.

Kimberley wondered which was stranger; the screeching sound or Kevin.

Regardless she examined the source of the screech.

An Abra sat on the ground in front of them, its arms now limp and a young brown haired boy kneeled next to it. He snapped his head up in widened eyes before narrowing them suddenly; green eyes.

Who was he again? One of Steven's friends?

"Damn." the brown haired boy muttered as he stood up, dusting himself off as he did so. "You couldn't do it. Train harder." he shot down at the head lowered Abra before recalling it back into its Poké ball. He looked up to register the staring Kevin and Kimberley. Kimberley's normal stare and Kevin's sniffed, snapped head, eyes widened and lips pursed stare.

Needless to say it was a strange picture.

"You two." the boy called quietly in narrowed green eyes. Kimberley and Kevin blinked. "Do you know Steven?" the obvious trainer asked in narrowed, interrogative eyes.

Kevin's wide eyed stare turned to a light, pursed lip scowl as he folded his arms. "Yeah and?" he asked indignantly. Kimberley shook her head at him as she stood before frowning at the young boy.

"If it's the same kid then yeah… who are you?" she asked politely in a frown and he shut his eyes before opening them back up again.

"I'm a person he knows; Ross Oak," he introduced himself quickly and to the point. Kimberley blinked before shaking her head and smiling, advancing on the boy. She lowered her arm to take.

"Kimberley." she introduced herself in a smile and Ross took the hand in his frown, shaking it slowly. "Kev?" the Wanderer turned her head in her smile as if in inclination for an introduction. The Renegade raised a brown eyebrow as he walked forward.

"You ain't with the ICL are you?" he asked in a suspicious frown.

"I collect their branded badges for their Pokémon League Tournament if that's what you mean," the Pokémon Trainer shot back in a curiously raised eyebrow of his own. Kevin seemed to take his time in watching before finally shrugging and grinning, taking the young boy's hand in his own.

"Kevin Carolton; thief extraordinaire," the young man claimed in an _(over)_confident grin and Ross shook his hand, frowning up at him as he did so.

"You may want to be careful who you say that to," the trainer shot back before lowering his arm and turning his heel and walking away from the two. Kevin blinked before lightly pouting.

"Oh yeah; why?" he questioned as he jogged to catch up with the younger boy. His arms in his trouser pockets he spoke in his frown.

"Because I've heard the Indigo Conference League use sinister tactics in interrogations and they'd take you as soon as they could if they found out what you were doing," the Pallet trainer claimed in his frown and Kevin blinked for a few seconds before wincing lightly and then grinning.

"Yeah okay then; I'll be fine," he shot back as he walked beside the young boy whom merely wordlessly shook his head in response.

"So uh." Kimberley began as she walked next to the two, her arms behind her back joined as she did so. "Is there a reason we're walking up this hill together?" she chance din a small grin.

"My grand father asked me to go check on Steven for some reason; why I don't know but he's always one step ahead of me," Ross replied brief as could be, frowning as he always did.

"Steven?" Kevin asked in a blink.

Ross snorted. "Hardly. My grand father is," he replied.

"True friend," Kevin muttered as he looked away to the side.

"Do you think something's wrong with Steven?" Kimberley questioned in a curious raise of her chestnut brown eyebrow.

"Knowing him…" the trainer in question's rival began in a frown before soon narrowing his eyes. "Definitely." he replied before suddenly widening his eyes and snapping his body down to flat on the grassy ground. Kevin and Kimberley blinked at him almost simultaneously as they exchanged shrugs.

"What are you doing you idiots? Get down!" Ross hissed in a newly gained scowl, snapping it over between the two. They winced and did so but not without a childish pout from Kevin.

"What are we hiding from?" Kimberley whispered in a frown and Ross nodded forward wordlessly, his scowl lost and replaced by his usual frown. The Wanderer frowned and blinked as she traced his nod to find two men standing guard outside a small house over looking a pond.

"So? Two guys. What's the problem?" Kevin asked indignantly.

"I've heard there's an organisation that's casually dressing as normal people, keeping them prisoners," Ross whispered back as he stared at the two in question, eyes narrowed as he did so. Kevin blinked as he turned his stare on the two scowling men and slowly began to make the connection.

Kimberley gasped in widened eyes. "Kev!" she exclaimed in a whispered hiss.

His eyes narrowed and he scowled. "I know; Team Rocket," the Renegade claimed.

"This is part of my mission," Ross interrupted quietly as he frowned before quietly releasing a Pokémon from his Poké ball; a narrow eyed Ivysaur.

"What are you-" Kimberley asked in a blink.

He stood hunched low so as to avoid detection, his Ivysaur following. "Follow me." he ordered quietly as he moved to the side and through the trees. "I may need your help." he admitted in his frown as he walked quietly, the grass and leaves crunching under his boots.

"Har." Kevin grinned quietly as he followed suit, a rolling eye Kimberley also following.

_**4**_

"… Yes sir." Rick spoke into the cell phone as he frowned. The only conscious man beneath him, whipped and pained, tried to make a painful run for it but the rising Rocket Grunt quickly brought him back down with a boot to his back, sending him whimpering back down again, scowling angrily as he did so. "Mm-hm. I fucked 'em. All of 'em." Rick claimed into the phone before an inaudible voice replied back to him. "… What?" he asked as he turned his head away in a narrow eyed expression. "You want him _alive?_" he asked again in a frown and the inaudible voice replied back again. He sighed and scowled down at the man beneath his feet. "Fine." he conceded quietly, dark eyes narrowed. "Yes sir." he added, cocking his hand gun forward. The man beneath him turned his head slowly and stared with widened eyes. "Yes… sir." Rick finished in grit teeth before he shut the small cell phone and placing it into his right pocket he cocked his gun once more, giving an audible click.

The man whimpered.

"And I so wanted to blast your brains across the floor." Rick lamented as he scowled down at the young man. "Damn Boss." he muttered under his breath and looked away as he pulled the weapon back, placing it back inside his clothing. "Oh well." he sighed again before turning in a small grin to find the fallen young Pokémon Trainer that dared interfere. "'Least I got the kids." he finished and took out his hand gun once more, cocking it in front of the alive and unconscious Steven.

He grinned as he started on the trigger before he blinked as he caught sight of a yellow coloured powder in his eyes.

"The f…?" he began in a blink. His eyelids felt heavy before he sniffed at the air to wonder exactly what it was.

Was he _dreaming?_

His eyes widened.

Shit!

His legs suddenly felt like two tons of weight and he came crashing down onto the floor just in front of the fallen Steven, yelling in pain as he did so, his weapon clacking against the floor. "Fuck!" he squawked. He heard strange noise behind him and turned his head to find the chimney behind him the source. He raised an eyebrow before a frowning Ivysaur skidded in along with its seeming trainer; a young brown haired boy much like the former, also frowning. Two other followed him with simultaneous grins; an older boy and girl – perhaps teenagers all covered in soot from the chimney ride in. Rick scowled and yelled angrily as he turned his right arm to its right direction, aiming to grab the hand gun he had once dropped for obvious leverage.

Kimberley leapt over, rolled and grabbed the weapon before he could reach it however and turned in place as she knelt, holding the gun against him, grinning as she did so. "Check mate," she shot down at him and Rick growled.

"Rrr!" he growled at her in frustration before quickly going into his clothing, presumably for another weapon.

"Ivysaur!" Ross ordered.

"Ivy!" the deep voiced Grass and Poison dual type exclaimed as two Vine Whips came flying out. One of them smacked the yelling Rick's arms while the other retrieved the item he was attempting to pull out. The Vine Whip pulled back in Ross' eyes and the trainer lowered his eyes to examine the weapon in question. He took it gently from the Vine Whip to reveal a simple knife and he frowned down at it as his Ivysaur recalled back its two Vine Whips.

"A knife? Top marks for originality," Ross shot down at the Rocket Grunt in question. He yelled angrily and in an animalistic fashion back. Ross raised one of his dark brown eyebrows however as he seemed to notice something on the knife and raised his left index finger ever so slowly for further investigation.

"What is it?" Kevin asked in a raise of his own brown eyebrow.

Ross seemed to press something on the knife with his left index finger and instantly a gunshot bellowed from out the knife, embedding a bullet into the wall in front of the trainer. Everyone's eyes _(besides Rick's of course)_ were widened before Ross regained his composure and finally spoke.

"Scout knife with a surprise…" he said as he examined the weapon a little more closely before giving the glaring Rick a glare of his own. "He's no ordinary Grunt," the trainer claimed honestly as he glared back.

"So what are we gonna do with him?" Kimberley asked in a raise of her brown eyebrow, gun held on his face.

"He could've and has already possibly killed three people just today; perhaps even more." Ross claimed as he frowned down at the growling, narrow eyed man. "We take him to the authorities," the Pallet trainer ordered in his frown as he folded his arms, handing the scout knife over to the frowning Kevin.

Rick's scowl seemed to turn even darker if that were possible. "Bastard!" he screeched up at the young men and women, eyes narrowed.

"Get him up." Ross ordered and Kimberley and Kevin shrugged before she handed the weapon over to the frowning Ross and assisting the Renegade she lifted up the scowling Rick, one on each arm. He stared ahead of himself, seeming to co operate but Ross kept his eyes glued to the man, waiting for some kind of instance.

He knew he would try it.

His head seemed to lower only an inch and Ross' eyes narrowed.

What was his game?

Rick pulled out a berry from his inside clothing by its green root; a red coloured one. Ross turned his head over to discern which type of berry it could be and widened his eyes as he quickly remembered.

A Cheri Berry!

"Stop him!" Ross shouted suddenly and the two at Rick's sides widened their eyes and attempted so but by now the berry was already in Rick's mouth and he grinned as he ate it, root and all. "Damn!" Ross muttered as he turned to his Ivysaur. "Ivysaur! Razor-" he began in his scowl but the grinning Rick suddenly seemed to regain use of his legs and smirked as he back handed both the yelling Kimberley and Kevin away before making a break for the main door. Ross' scowl deepened to a grit toothed anger filled look. "Ivysaur! Razor Leaf now!" he screamed and the Grass and Poison dual type nodded before narrowing its eyes. Instantly razor leaves came flying out of the Pokémon's back and flew for the fleeing Rick.

One of the leaves just barely managed to graze Rick's left hand as he ran and he turned his grin on the scowling Ross just before running out of sight.

"Damn!" Ross uttered for the second time before rushing out after him, his Ivysaur hot on his trail. He was just in time to see the man on top of a Fearow, flying away to safety. "Vine Whip!" the trainer exclaimed, pointing dead ahead to the fleeing and laughing Rick. Ivysaur's Vine Whips extended far but not near far enough, falling short ahead of their enemy and Rick turned in his laughter.

"Better luck next time kid!" Rick's laugh called from above as he laughed madly, the Fearow carrying him away.

"Tsk!" Ross uttered in his scowl as he watched vainly, the two sleeping casual members of Team Rocket lying on the ground behind him.

_**5**_

"Thank you… so much," the whipped young man thanked in a respectable bow of his head.

"Don't worry about it." Ross waved if off as if it were nothing to be proud of. "I didn't think you were still staying here though; after the family massacre," the trainer added on as he frowned, folding his arms. The young man began to tear up again in his eyes and he shook lightly as he attempted to hold back his obvious tears.

"I'm sorry… so… sorry," he cried again and Ross rolled his eyes as he looked away to the setting sun on Cerulean Cape. Kimberley and Kevin watched silently as they helped the unconscious Misty and Steven up onto their backs.

"We've chased Team Rocket's posts out here but if you stay you still won't be safe." the Pokémon Trainer stated honestly and the young man _(now introduced as William Rivers)_ nodded wordlessly, sniffing as he did so. Ross turned his head halfway around to frown at Bill. "You saw how that last one acted. You'll have to find somewhere safe or they'll get you again," the young boy stated and Bill sniffed again, nodding.

"Maybe these two have an opening," Kevin murmured as he walked up to the two, holding on to the unconscious form of Steven, his frontal body hanging over the young man's shoulder.

"Hmph." Ross smirked before turning and heading off, his hands in his pockets and his Ivysaur walking slowly beside him.

"W-Wait!" Bill called as he ran after the young boy. Ross turned his head 'round in an indifferent frown. "I have to thank you somehow! I-I…" he began as he looked down away from the young Pallet's eyesight. "I was trapped by those men… for… for _ten years_." he claimed in a shaky voice as his body shook. Ross turned his body fully around as he stared indifferently. "They t-took my younger brother from me and… and…" he began again and tears fell from his eyes again and to the ground. "They killed my other one!" he exclaimed out suddenly and fell to his knees dramatically, the tears causing dark spots in the sunset orangey grass.

Ross stared down at the young man beneath him in the same frown he always did before speaking. "Your life is your own now Bill. You can do what you will with it." he claimed quietly and honestly. Bill blinked his tears out of his eyes and looked up at the young boy. "If you really want to thank me." Ross began in his frown as he shut his eyes before opening them back up again and looking up, nodding upwards. Bill blinked and traced the stare to find the unconscious Steven and Misty. "Then watch over them. It was them who came here in the first place to save you. It's not me you owe your life to; it's them," he claimed and the Pokémon researcher blinked once again as he stared before smiling and turning his head, nodding. He stood up and wiped the tears off his face and still smiling he lowered his arm for the young boy to take.

"Thank you Mr. Oak. I'm sorry I was so emotional before," he conceded in his smile and Ross looked away awkwardly before taking the man's hand in his own and shaking it.

"And if you _really_ want to thank them…" Ross began again and Bill blinked, frowning as he did so. "Then you can continue your family's tradition at a safer time and revive the PCMS," the trainer said and Bill smiled once again.

"Of course." he agreed.

"PCMS?" Kimberley whispered over in a raised eyebrow.

Kevin leaned in. "Pokémon Computing Management Society. I heard a few ICL dudes talking about it," he claimed and Kimberley nodded in registering.

Ross finally let go of Bill's hand and turned on his heel, his Ivysaur following him as he did so, his arms in his pockets. A Pidgeotto _(presumably his)_ flew overhead, carrying two cages by itself, straining a little with the effort. In the cages were the two casually dressed Team Rocket Grunts.

"Thank you Mr. Oak! Thank you so much!" Bill called again as he smiled, waving to the young boy.

"Hey dude!" Kevin called in his own grin however Ross continued on. "Those were some pretty epic moves you pulled; be ready for mine next time!" the young man called in his grin and Ross' right back hand wave was the only inclination he got before he continued on.

Kevin and Kimberley chuckled and Bill smiled as he lowered his hand.

_A/N: LOL BILL_


	11. The Port of Exquisite Sunsets

**Chapter 12: ****The Port of Exquisite Sunsets**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise as everyone obviously knows. Oh disclaimers.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Gateway Collosseum" – Pokémon Battle Revolution OST. **__Scene __**3**__ (Second Half)_

_**"What's Your Name?" – Pokémon Battle Revolution OST. **__Scene __**4. **_

_** "A Meeting and a Parting" – Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**6.**_

_A/N: Hey all; those who may (though if anyone even reviews I'll be lolzily surprised) be wondering this chapter's obviously thrust ahead of time for reason of the previous one being a little too…_

_Graphic. XD_

_At any rate enjoy the shitty written lolz that is mine._

_**Scene 1**_

"Ho my _gawd_," Steven moaned loudly as he drooped his eyes and took his time in the last word of his sentence, his mouth moving from one side to the other slowly as he spoke.

It sounded strange to say the least.

"Oh hush." Misty frowned at him neutrally as she gripped her own back pack, walking past the young boy back into Route Twelve.

"Thank you sir; we appreciate it." Bill smiled at the frowning man on guard behind the reception counter before the researcher turned and headed back out the doors, leading away from Saffron City.

"Oh yeah we definitely appreciate being told to buzz off." Steven moaned under his breath as he folded his arms and pouted. The man narrowed his eyes at him before Misty's slender arm and hand quickly gripped at his ear, near enough pulling it off as she led him out the small house.

"Sorry about this." Bill laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head before following his companions quickly. The man stared after them in curious blinks of his eyes.

"Damn man!" Steven whined loudly as he was pulled out of the small house and back out into the road of Route Twelve. "What was that for?" he pouted again as he nursed his throbbing ear.

"You don't _do_ that to officials!" the former Gym Leader stated honestly as she frowned disapprovingly at him, her arms on her hips as she did so.

"Why not?" Steven whined childishly as he pouted back at her.

Misty sighed as she face palmed before speaking. "You don't because you may even get kicked out of the League's challenge!" she shot back in her small scowl and Steven blinked before grinning and raising his eye sight away from hers, shrugging as he did so.

"Lol whoops!" he claimed goofily and Misty shook her head as she turned her heel on him and walked off.

"Idiot," she muttered and continued down the route.

"I know you are but what am I!" he exclaimed back down at her in an obvious troll attempt. She stopped walking but cocked her head once as if to show his effect on her before she continued wordlessly. "Hee, hee," Steven grinned as he lowered his amplified hands to his sides once again and Bill sighed as he walked next to the young boy.

"You shouldn't treat your friend like that," the researcher claimed honestly as he frowned disapprovingly down at him. Steven made a face at him and childishly pouted as he did so.

"Why not?" he asked childishly and Bill rolled his eyes in a humorous chuckle.

"She's only looking out for your best interests." the young man claimed as he smiled down at the young trainer. Steven only blinked back. "You know; your challenge on the ICL's Trainer League?" Bill laughed a little nervously as he sweat dropped. Steven only stared blankly at him once more. Bill sighed and frowned. "You don't realise how much you should treasure a friend like that." he advised in his frown before shaking his head and following the red head. Steven stared after him in a blink before pouting and sticking his tongue out at him childishly.

Nevertheless he followed however.

"So what city's next on my world tour?" the young trainer began as he jogged to catch up with the two, grinning overconfidently as he always seemed to before walking at a leisurely pace with them, arms behind his head in a carefree manner. Misty rolled her green eyes at him as she walked, her arms folded thusly. Bill chuckled nervously again and winced as he registered Misty's own annoyance at their irritating companion.

"Vermilion," Misty merely spoke almost tonelessly as she scowled, making sure to keep at least two or three steps ahead of Steven's pace so as perhaps not to look at the young trainer.

So angry, Bill thought.

Steven pouted lightly as he saw her move forward but shrugged it off nonetheless.

"Wonder what kinda landmarks lay in that place huh?" Steven grinned as he walked, arms laying low to grip on his back pack's arm holds near his shoulder. Misty only shrugged as a response and Steven's pout returned once more.

What was up with _her?_

Sure enough the entire journey that went through Route Twelve and Eleven was silent.

_Silent_.

By the time the group had reached Vermilion City tension in the air had raised to a palpable level; perhaps the worst seen yet in the small group of trainers and researcher. With two silent _(but obviously angry)_ trainers in Misty and Steven it was needless to say Bill felt a little out of place.

He even considered leaving them alone for a few minutes.

And yet the irony was that was probably the _worst_ thing to do.

So he had an idea.

"Hey guys look!" Bill called as he turned his head around to the scowling two before smiling at them and nodding his head to the sign post in front of him. "'The Port of Exquisite Sunsets'; we're here!" he called in his enthusiastic smile as he attempted to rally the two together. Misty managed a smile but Steven still pouted, folding his arms and looking away childishly. Bill's face fell as he noticed but kept at it. "You ready to take on today's Gym Leader?" researcher asked in a wide grin and expecting it as much Steven instantly perked up and grinned up at the young man, unfolding his arms and placing one on his hip arrogantly.

"Oh yeah; got that right!" he claimed and Bill saw Misty's frown towards the young trainer but she didn't scowl as before.

Great!

Things were going better than he hoped already.

And yet as if to protest that a drop of rain, dropped from the sky spilled on the frowning researcher's nose.

"Oh no." he murmured, craning his neck upwards to find the rain coming down at a much faster rate already now.

"Meh. I like the rain," Steven admitted as he frowned up at the light drizzle.

"Me too," Misty smiled.

Then the drizzle turned into a torrential down pour.

"Agh!" Steven exclaimed as he set his arms apart, surprised at the sudden down pour. "That was damn quick!" he complained in his scowl.

"Over here!"

The three blinked their eyes out of the rain water before finally finding the source of the voice. They turned to their sides and on the city's right they found an eccentrically dressed man smiling and waving at them from inside a warm door.

Go for it!

Leaning his body down to increase speed, Steven narrowed his red eyes and held on to his red cap to avoid it falling off his head. He was vaguely aware of his two companions running behind him but kept at his own pace. Sure enough he reached the door and leapt in. Standing in the lobby he scowled and rid his clothes of the rain that had managed to cling itself to his clothes. Bill and Misty had by now reached in and had been doing the same.

"Oh my god he's a trainer!"

Steven blinked as he snapped his head up to find himself suddenly mobbed by countless invading men, women and children.

"The hell?" he exclaimed as they surrounded him. The house owner blinked over at him as did Bill and Misty.

"Look there's Poké balls on his belt!"

"Let's have a look!"

"Hey; get off!" Steven exclaimed in annoyance as he swatted some prying hands away but unfortunately some managed through his defences and grabbed at one of his spheres. "No let go of that!" he ordered in growing anger but the assailant – a young child – didn't seem to listen. The smiling girl pressed a button on the red and white sphere, thereby opening up the creature's hiding place with an audible screeching sound, white energy travelling out of the ball and soon forming into a Wartortle.

The Water type stood its ground and snapped its head and eyes around itself as if looking for an opponent to battle however as it realised it was brought out not for battling but for leisure it blinked at the sudden sight of crowding people around it.

"Oh it's so cute!" one of the many assailants gushed as they bent down to smile down at the blinking Wartortle. Some moved closer and managed to unnerve the Water type turtle. It visibly winced lightly as it backed up a step, bringing up a back handed left arm above as if to shield itself.

"Hey that's _my_ Wartortle; leave it alone!" Steven's angry shout came as he attempted to move through the crowd but unfortunately his energy was previously spent trying to gain access to the house in the first place, away from the lashing rain.

"All right come on people!" the eccentrically dressed man began as he waved his cane around to break up the rout. He successfully managed to break it up and a pouting Steven immediately yanked back his wincing Wartortle in his arms.

"You people make me sick!" he whispered in a childish pout before he quickly walked past them and into the small house's living room on his north west.

"He doesn't mean it; really!" Misty laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her wet head.

"Our friend has Tourettes Syndrome." Bill sighed in as he frowned back at the small gaggle of people as he ran a towel through his wet hair. Misty couldn't help herself in sniggering a little and Bill gave a small smirk as she did so. The eccentrically dressed man seemed to realise their joke and sighed as he winced, rubbing the back of his own dry head.

"And no friends with that attitude!" one of the now irate members of the crowd squawked out with in an angry scowl, contrast to their previous smiles.

"He has a tendency to come off as annoying." Misty grinned at the group and most of them continued their bemoaning of him before the eccentric man – seeming to be the leader of them all – walked up to the group and quickly smoothed things over in a smile.

"Why don't we all go back inside and get ourselves a nice cup of tea?" the man smiled heartily and they all seemed to oblige however not without murmuring in annoyance at the sudden and cheeky interruption of their new guest.

"I could do with one myself," Bill sighed as he finished off drying his hair and smiled as he followed the man, taking off his back pack and placing it on the stand next to the door along with his jacket. Misty did the same and followed him into the small house's living room.

Inside a pouting Steven was warming himself by the fire and inspected his sighing Wartortle whom sat in front of him away from the fire, back to him. Steven noticed the members walking in and narrowed his eyes before turning his eyes back on his Pokémon. The leader of the group shook his head in a smile and the other members all glared down at him before all breaking up in different directions around the house.

All except the living room.

Misty face palmed.

The leader of the small house's group sighed at the result before smiling once again and turned to the blinking Bill and frowning Misty.

"Do take a seat; I'll bring the refreshments." he smiled and bowed and the two smiled back before he thusly turned and headed out. Misty sighed as she looked down at the pouting Steven, exchanging a wincing look with Bill before she sat down in front of the young boy, giving the weak smiling Wartortle one of her own before looking back up at its trainer.

"There was no need for that you know." the red head claimed as she frowned at him disapprovingly. Steven's face twitched as she spoke and the fire crackled behind him, the only response she was given. She turned in a hopeful frown towards the blinking Bill and he shook his head in a smile before turning out of the living room, seemingly to help out the eccentric man. She turned back in a frown again. "All you had to do was ask the man to break it up and he would've," Misty claimed as she frowned at him and Steven's head instantly snapped up as he scowled at her.

"Wartortle ain't a frickin' toy!" he shot out suddenly and the former Leader shrank back as she winced.

He _did_ have a point.

But people were people.

He had to understand that.

"I know but." she began softly. She had to be careful – especially here – that she didn't get him any angrier. Mew knew he had a right but… He still had to understand. "They were only _admiring_ Wartortle that's all," she smiled and Wartortle smiled along with her. Steven however scowled back.

"Oh yeah and that totally absolves them of their sins huh," the young trainer bemoaned as he scowled away from her eyesight.

"Well no but if you think about it, they can't be blamed because of Wartortle's powers and because you poured so much of your um." she began and Steven thusly blinked at her. "Abilities into it!" she finished in a wan, crooked smile. It was bad but at that particular moment it was the best she had.

And Steven grinned.

… What?

"Of course!" he agreed in a grin and Misty's face twitched from fear of bursting out laughing.

She couldn't believe he fell for it.

"After all with this manliness and Wartortle's powers nothing can stand in our way! It's only understandable they'd be so rocked off their socks!" Steven grinned as he shrugged, one of his eyes shut as he did so; his previous pose when facing Brock Slate. His Wartortle imitated its trainer perfectly and grinned its fangs up at him as it did so.

"I take it everything's going swimmingly?"

The two blinked at the interruption to find a smiling Bill and the house's seeming leader both holding trays.

"Hey guys; it is yeah," Misty agreed in her own smile back as she leaned on her left hand, placing it on the ground as she did so.

"Great," Bill chuckled as he moved forward to place the tea tray he carried on the small coffee table in front of him and on Misty's right.

"Yeah! Turns out they were so hot for me and my Wartortle 'cause I'm so epic!" he grinned back as he edged an obnoxious thumb on his chest. Bill raised a brown eyebrow however a grinning shaking head of Misty's made him realise.

"Is that right?" the researcher chuckled at him as he moved over to sit on the main sofa on the far right, allowing the man some room.

"Well I'm glad you young ones managed to find us in time for the rain!" the man claimed as he smiled down at them, sitting down on the sofa next to Bill.

"Well I would've stayed outside for Wartortle's benefit." Steven claimed in a frown as he looked down at the blinking Water type however it registered his claim and waved it off in a smile. "But we're manlier than that huh?" he grinned and it beamed back up at him.

"Certainly is a confident one." the strange man chuckled in good humour. "What's his name?" he asked and Steven grinned up at him.

"What else? Steven!" he shot back. "Yeah I'm new to the Gym Challenges around here but already I'm makin' a name for myself!" he grinned and shrugged overconfidently again, eyes shut as he did so. His Wartortle imitated him.

"I'll bet, I'll bet," the man chuckled back.

"Misty Waterflower; former Cerulean Gym Leader," the red head introduced as she stood and shook the man's hand. His eyes widened and he gasped at such a claim before Bill sat forward and also introduced.

"William Rivers of the Pokémon Computing Management Society," the Pokémon Analyst smiled up at the eccentric man whom gasped once more, eyes widened perhaps even further.

"The Cerulean Gym Leader of Kanto!" he gasped and Misty nodded in a giggle. "And the Administrator to the Pokémon Computing Management Society of the Indigo Conference League!" he spoke so long in his sentence that he managed to gasp out the last of his words. Bill laughed heartily.

"Only in name for now," the analyst smiled. Meanwhile a pouting Steven narrowed his red eyes at his two companions before forcing his face in with an oblivious and obnoxious grin.

"Me? I'm Steven of Kanto; Pallet Town! Best trainer that ever goddamn existed!" the young trainer grinned as he edged another thumb to his chest and the three chuckled good heartedly at him.

"In the presence of such names I can only humbly introduce myself as Alexander the second; Chairman of the Vermilion Pokémon Fan Club!" he bowed his head in reverence; obviously towards the smiling Misty and Bill. However he looked up in a sudden blink and the three blinked back.

What was he…?

"You know when I realise young man." the newly introduced Chairman frowned at the blinking Steven. "Your name came up a few times only just yesterday when I was talking to a gentleman," he claimed and Misty's – as well as Bill's – face blanched instantly. Steven only blinked however.

"What did he look like?" Misty asked in a nervous sounding tone. She cleared her throat to remove it however.

"Um. He was a tall, scary looking man. Had a scar on his face and his ear was clipped," he claimed in his frown as he acted out the descriptions. Misty's and Bill's eyes widened once more and they looked away. Steven raised a brown eyebrow.

"That sounds famili-" he began before gasping himself and – like his comrades – widened his red eyes in recognition. "Not him!" the young boy exclaimed suddenly before he backed away with incredible ferocity, knocking past his blinking Wartortle and curling into a ball. "He's lookin' for me, he's lookin' for me, he's lookin' for me," he repeated over and over as he rocked himself continually to his words.

Even almost psychotically.

"He won't _find_ you!" Misty claimed as honestly as she could in a frown as she knelt next to the young boy, consoling him.

"How do you know that?" he asked as he swept his now wild, red eyes up at her own green and she even almost shrank back from his level of fear. "How do you know he won't find me when I'm camping out on a Route somewhere? He could swoop on in and kill me right there and then like he was gonna do to Bill!" he exclaimed in his fear, eyes stinging with tears and Bill winced as he looked away from the scene. Alexander blinked at the three before unconsciously scratching himself on his right cheek in a wince.

"Oops," he mumbled in a nervous grin.

"It's fine Alexander," Bill smiled in a shake of his head once more, waving off the matter.

"If it's any consolation he told me he'd be at the Saint Anne which is docked just outside to the dock in Vermilion!" Alexander smiled at the three successively and Misty blinked before smiling widely and seemingly triumphantly.

"That's perfect!" she exclaimed in confidence.

"It is?" Steven blinked his tears at her in obvious confusion.

"Of course!" she claimed as she turned her head over to him. "Vermilion's Saint Anne is a ship that always returns to Vermilion's dock once a year!" she stated as if it were the solution to everyone's problems.

"So?" Bill asked in a raise of his brown eyebrow.

"_So_ the Saint Anne _always_ has police either on the ship itself or at least near it!" she spoke her sentence out in an obvious drove. Bill's frown slowly changed to a wide, open mouthed smile and he grinned. Steven blinked and lost his tears as well as his fear it seemed. "We've got him!" she laughed in confidence and even Steven began to chuckle with her. "But if we're gonna do this, we gotta go _now,_" she claimed in a sudden frown and the two frowned back at her before Steven soon gained a determined scowl on his face as he stood up, fingerless gloved arms at his side and gripped finger together.

"He's gonna pay for what he did to me." the young trainer scowled at nothing in particular _(bar the image of Richard Scott in his head)_. "If I can't beat him physically then I got him by the balls with this!" he grinned this time as he thrust a now confident reverse fist in the air.

"Or, you know, send him to jail," Bill threw in as he chuckled at the young boy's enthusiasm before standing up himself.

"So are you guys ready?" Misty smiled as she raised herself and dusted herself off.

Steven nodded in a confident grin. "We'll take him down this time!"

"What he said," Bill smiled back warmly as he placed a hand on his hip, the other limp at his side comfortably.

"All right! Let's go!" Steven open smirked confidently as he thrust a fist forward. His Wartortle leapt up onto his shoulder before grinning and doing the same. He lowered his hand and ran for the front door, outside the living room and into the lobby. Misty followed him in a wide eyed frown.

"Wait! You forgot your jacket!" she exclaimed as she grabbed his red and white jacket from the stand in the lobby before rushing out in the rain after him.

Bill quickly moved forward before turning back to face the blinking and seemingly surprised Alexander. He bowed respectfully before smiling up at him, his back still held low. "I'm sorry about this! Thank you for the hospitality!" he apologised in his smile and Alexander waved it off in a jolly shake of his head.

"Go! Help your friend; I'm glad to assisted you!" the man claimed as he waved him off and Bill nodded exuberantly before turning on his heel and running off.

"Bye!" he called and Alexander chuckled as he watched him leave.

_**2**_

Lieutenant Surge yelled as he stood in the rain, an electric attack bursting through his body, both of his arms set his sides and crunched together along with his legs set apart from each other.

Oliver felt sick every time he watched him do it.

Currently the army veteran and current Vermilion City Gym Leader was standing in the middle of a rain shower and allowing his narrow eyed Raichu to use its Thunderbolt attack on him.

And for kicks no less!

All he said to Oliver was that it would help with his training regimen and also to act as a human lighthouse to other passengers for the docked Saint Anne.

Oliver thought he was insane at times.

But insane or not, Transient Surge still stood after the two minute long Thunderbolt attack and in the shower of rain no less.

Strong was an understatement.

The short, blonde haired man soon calmed his yelling down as he lowered his head lightly, electric sparks igniting off him as he soon grinned. He quickly stood back to attention as if he were in an army drill and grinned in a malicious fashion over at his Raichu whom looked up in a neutral frown.

"Call that a Thunderbolt? I'm still standing aren't I?" the twenty eight year old army veteran grinned over at the Electric type whom narrowed its eyes in a simultaneous grin before charging up energy in its cheeks and Surge braced himself once more before the Mouse Pokémon quickly let loose another charged Thunderbolt.

Oliver winced as he watched.

"Yo!"

The Sailor blinked and glad for the interruption turned his head and body around to find a running trio of people; one young boy, young girl and a young man. Accompanied on the young boy's shoulder was a smiling Wartortle.

Presumably because of the rain.

"Yes, can I help you?" Oliver called over the lashing sound of the rain as well as the juiced up crackles and bolts.

"Lookin' for the S.S. Saint Anne!" the young boy shouted over the noise with both hands to his mouth's sides to amplify his voice. The rain lashed down heavily on his hair, hanging it down like a brown mop.

Oliver smiled back, despite the rain and current events. "You've come to the right place!" he spoke up with a hand of his own on his mouth before pointing behind him at the dark, hidden luxury liner behind him. "It's right there!" he finished in his smile before turning his head over to his former Commanding Officer. "Lieutenant Surge sir!" he called out as loud as he could but the oblivious man merely continued to stand and yell in presumed pain as his Raichu continually shocked him. Oliver considered slugging the man on the shoulder but was painfully aware of the Thunderbolt attack his Raichu was issuing out and with the rain…

Needless to say it'd be foolhardy.

"All right!" the Sailor frowned as he threw out a Poké ball and a Geodude instantly popped out, smashing its fists together in exuberance however it widened its eyes as it registered the current weather. Oliver noticed and moved quickly. "Quickly, Mud Sport!" he exclaimed and the Rock and Ground dual type roared its name as it swiftly moved to its order. It clapped its rocky hands together roughly before forming dirt clods. It quickly threw those clods at Lieutenant Surge's body.

Not instantly but after enough of the clods the electricity was cancelled out due to the Ground type attack and even with the rain it was suppressed enough for the two to stop. Surge blinked and as the last sparks of electricity faded from his body he scowled and growled over at his comrade Sailor.

"All right, what's the deal here?" the Leader shouted out angrily, obviously annoyed he could not continue his strange training course.

"Sir!" Oliver exclaimed out and Surge blinked once as he registered him before scowling again.

"What'd you stop me for?" he barked down angrily.

Oliver stood to attention and saluted the man. "Some new passengers for the SS. Saint Anne sir!" he shouted back out and Surge blinked almost stupidly again before looking up to find a strangely staring young brown haired boy, his Wartortle on his shoulder and two companions; a red headed young girl and a glasses wearing older, young man.

They all stared at him as if he'd just fallen off a cliff willingly.

Understandable.

"Great you could make it kids!" the blonde haired man grinned as he folded his arms and quickly towered over the three and the Water type Pokémon. "Bridge is behind us! Don't be late for the party!" he laughed boomingly and the red capped boy winced before dashing past him. He blinked and exchanged a shrugging look with his companion Oliver before the red head and her other friend both bowed in obvious respect. They then both shot off after their quick compatriot. "Punk kids." Surge muttered under his breath in a light scowl before grinning down at his Raichu. "Ready?" he grinned and the Pokémon smirked back. "Let me have it!" he shot out with and immediately another Thunderbolt came crashing down on the man's body, eliciting the pained scream.

Oliver face palmed.

_**3**_

"Let there be _light!_" Steven exclaimed as he stood in the main dining hall of the S.S. Saint. Anne, arms outstretched to his two open sides in an attempt to showcase the grand, floating art palace that was the Saint Anne.

"Good evening gentlemen." a man greeted. Everyone turned in a surprised blink to find a smiling, well dressed man standing at the area's left side, gloved hands clasped together. He spoke in an English accent that seemed refined to be employed at such at a place. "Milady," the man bowed respectfully towards the blinking red head in question and she blushed lightly, smiling as she looked away in obvious embarrassment.

"Uh, hey dude," Steven replied simply as he frowned at the regal dressed man.

"May I take your coats?" he requested politely in his light smile and Steven shrugged in his own grin.

"Sure!" he allowed and thusly took off his crimson and white jacket as well as his yellow back pack, allowing the well dressed man to take them from him. The greeter did the same with the smiling Misty and Bill, taking their jackets and back packs. "So what's goin' on here?" the trainer questioned in a wondrous frown as he craned his neck higher above the amiable party of people. All _(or the large majority anyway)_ were dressed in a stuffy kind of formal wear; suit jackets, tuxedos, party dresses and the like.

Steven felt a little out of place.

Then heard Pokémon growling.

A battle!

He quickly moved past the crowd of chuckling men and women, weaving in and out of the crowd before he finally came face to face with the small stadium ahead of him. Gathered around the makeshift stadium were a crowd of people much like the ones Steven had thus weaved in and out of. On the right side of the field was a young boy perhaps older than Steven's age.

He wore a simple red and white jacket, blue jeans and a pair of trainers; similar in appearance to Steven himself. At first he thought the boy was the same one from Cerulean however his clothes weren't quite the same and the smile on his face seemed to exude an aura that didn't go unnoticed.

It didn't seem as malicious.

Didn't seem malicious at all come to think of it, he thought.

A strange Pokémon and one he'd not seen before; a small dinosaur like Pokémon. A single leaf adorned its forehead as well as a necklace of green vines, neatly tucked away into its small, light green coloured body.

Steven blinked down at it and brought out his Pokédex to gather data. He keyed in a few numbers and used the 'SCAN' function. He successfully lined the Pokédex's lens up with the mysterious leaf Pokémon and looked down at it.

A visual picture came up but no actual information; just questions marks next to its name, classification, number and description.

"Oh like _you're_ supposed to be useful!" Steven snorted as he pouted down at the machine. He grumbled and closed the machine up before pocketing it in his jeans and watching on.

"Chikorita! Let's go with a Razor Leaf!" the leaf Pokémon's Trainer called as he grinned over at the battlefield.

"Like, certainly!" the aptly named Chikorita spoke in a cheerful tone as it shut eyes almost obliviously and the whole room fell silent or at least gasped; even Steven was surprised.

A _talking_ Pokémon?

His opposing trainer – a Gentleman – seemed taken aback by this idea himself and even gasped visibly, leaving his growling Raticate open to attack. The Chikorita smiled as it turned its head in a swish, sending forth Razor Leaves at its growling enemy. The Gentleman had by now not recovered and so his Raticate suffered a critical hit against the attack and it was sent back tumbling in its pain, thus fainting.

"Wow!" Steven mouthed as he watched; visibly and obviously impressed at the small Chikorita's impressive show of power.

"Steve!"

The boy himself turned in a blink and a huffing Misty stood behind him, possibly from weaving in and out of the crowd.

Seemed she wasn't as athletic as he was.

"You REALLY need some exercise ya know," Steven shot back cheekily as he frowned at her almost neutrally. She raised her head in a scowling snap and almost instantly bashed him on the head as she did so.

"Jerk!" she accompanied her physical assault with a degrading insult.

"Yagh!" he exclaimed and fell to his rear as he did so.

A booming laugh managed to interrupt them.

Everyone in the area all turned their heads to the entrance of the SS. Saint Anne to find the short blonde haired man and his ever imposing height. He stood in a toothy grin, his beefy arms resting on his hips as he looked down on the members of the party. Oliver the Sailor managed to squeeze on past through him but not without a slight pout. Steven blinked.

That was the man that was struck by his own Raichu's Thunderbolt attack.

He made Steven just a little wary for obvious reasons.

The man was drenched by the rain and his clothes seemed all out of place due to the constant zapping he received, smoke even exuded from him.

"Ladies and gentleman; proud to announce the host of tonight's SS. Saint Anne Entertainment Evening; Transient Surge," Oliver explained in a bored tone as he drooped eyes at a card he read from. He thus lowered the card and sighed. Surge let out another booming laugh, reverberating the very ship Steven sat on.

Jeez!

"Thanks a lot Oliver!" the man grinned before folding his arms and grinning widely down at his smiling guests. "You too everyone; couldn't have managed it without ya!" he offered them a raise of his beefy fist and a shut of his eye for his grin. The guests rose their glasses to him in smiles and he laughed boomingly again before suddenly thrusting a strong finger at the blinking young boy watching him. "You! With the Chikorita!" he called in his grin.

The Chikorita wielding Trainer blinked confusingly as he edged a finger on his chest. Surge nodded in his grin. "Me?" he asked simply.

"Yeah! What's your name kid?"

"Uh… Tom,"

Surge laughed boomingly once more in a seemingly trademark show. "You won the tournament! Nice job kid!" he grinned over as he issued him a thumbs up and the newly introduced Tom slowly smiled as he laughed, placing a nervous arm to rest behind his head. The crowd all clapped for him and Steven grinned; he couldn't wait to take all these trainers on.

The idea of winning it all!

"Now…" Surge's voice began again lightly _(for him anyway)_ and the clapping soon subsided. Tom blinked as he lowered his arm and looked up at the man whom thundered slowly over in a grin before placing an arm on his shoulder, even almost threateningly. "You get the chance to face _me_," he finished in a raise of his blonde eyebrows and widen of his eyes at the end of his sentence as if to emphasise the simple honour of such a feat and Tom blinked as he leaned back.

"Uh sure," he shot back in a nod.

"Great!" Surge laughed again, his voice sounding off throughout the ship itself once more before he turned and took a side at the gentleman's former position. "You ready kid? Let's give these people a show to remember!" he shot out with before taking out a single Poké ball from his large belt. Tom winced a little but nodded in a small smile as he affixed his battle stance once more. His Chikorita lowered itself for battle similarly before Surge grinned as he threw his Poké ball forward.

The same Raichu from outside popped out and grinned confidently; even _threateningly_ at its enemies. Steven narrowed his red eyes and brought out his Pokédex once more, opening it and keying in the buttons to register the mouse.

_#026 Raichu_

_It can loose 100,000-volt bursts of electricity, instantly downing foes several times its size._

"Oh my lord." Steven said quietly in a visible wince before suddenly snap shutting the encyclopaedia up. "He's goin' _down_," the Pallet Bound Trainer claimed in a neutral frown as he watched and Misty rolled her eyes at him.

"Give the guy credit; he must have gone through a knockout tournament or something," the red head explained as she edged a hand forth to the young boy in question. Steven frowned as he folded his arms and cocked his head as if examining his ability to battle.

"Eh." he shrugged indefinitely and Misty sighed.

"What'd I miss guys; anything special?" Bill gasped as he ran to the group, seemingly out of breath.

"What happened to you?" Misty asked as she blinked over at him behind her. He smiled amiably and gestured behind him.

"Steven dropped a Poké ball so I picked it up for him," he explained and the boy himself snapped his head 'round as he pouted.

"Say what?" he pouted in his usual childish behaviour.

"Nothing; here," Bill chuckled in humour as he handed the young boy the Poké ball in question. He took it and issued the Administrator a quick and fleeting, pouting little glare before turning back to the battle.

"Damn that was quick!" he exclaimed and Surge laughed – boomingly of course – as he recalled back his grinning Raichu. Tom stood gob smacked as his last Pokémon; a strange one with fins on its head and black in colour with sharp nails, fell to the ground from the sheer strength of its enemy.

"I blinked and it was over," Misty murmured as she winced at the two's excuse for a battle.

"That Surge has a damn strong Raichu," Bill murmured as he frowned in watching.

"Yeah." Misty agreed quietly.

"Sorry kid but yer _light _years away from beatin' me!" Surge guffawed at the now kneeling young trainer in question, amazed at how badly he lost it seemed. Steven growled as he watched the big man speak. "Maybe go back to your hometown and learn how to battle huh?" he continued and the crowd of people watching allowed him laughs as well at his jokes. Steven's scowl grew and his face began to twitch more and more as he listened. "It's amazing they let these kids in here at times I tell ya!" he laughed madly and Steven suddenly let out a built up yell as he sprinted forward.

"Steven no!" Misty called as she went for the boy but couldn't seem to catch him.

The red capped boy made the Lieutenant blink over at him however he merely stood as Steven let loose a weak barrage of comical looking punches to his chest. Misty winced as she grabbed hold of his left arm and attempted to pull him back.

"So sorry about this!" she laughed nervously up at the large man before scowling over at the yelling Steven whom seemed to pay her no mind at all.

"Oh." Surge began lowly as he grinned and looked down at his new opponent's belt. "So yer a trainer too huh?" he asked and Steven stopped in a blink, forcing the surprised Misty back with a squeak.

"Yeah so?" he shot back in a scowl and the man grinned as he fingered his own Poké ball. "Oh!" he exclaimed before scowling again. "Then you won't have a problem facin' me! I'll shut that big mouth o' yours up!" Steven exclaimed cheekily as he horizontally swiped the air with his right hand before going down into a battle stance, fingering one of his own Poké balls.

"Steve for god sakes; stop!" Misty called in annoyance and Bill face palmed in a groan as he watched the three.

"I have to agree with the young lady!" Oliver the Sailor interjected with a frown as he raised his finger in protest. "That young man has not passed through the Knockout Tournament!" he called and Surge waved it off.

"Eh who cares; he might be better 'n the last one." he lamented lightly in a humorous grin as he stood in his own stance. Steven growled as he narrowed his red eyes at his opponent's blue.

"I seen your battle style and I'm gonna counter it somehow," the young Trainer claimed as he scowled lightly and Surge grinned back before releasing his Raichu.

"Let's see you try _kid_." he shot back in his grin and Steven's growl and scowl got worse before he built up into a yell.

"Begin!" Oliver exclaimed and Steven leapt into the air dramatically before throwing down the Poké ball in his right hand, as if it were a cannon.

"Nidorino! Take him _DOOOOOWN!_" the irate Trainer yelled angrily as the sphere exploded in mid air. Surge raised a yellow eyebrow before the Poison type in question leapt forth from its open Poké ball and used a Horn Attack.

At least it seemed to; at any rate it was charging suddenly.

Surge widened his eyes in a gasp as his Raichu was taken off guard and was sent back in mid air, eliciting a pained cry from it.

"Hey!" the Lieutenant called in anger as he scowled and Steven smirked.

"Okay! Back!" Steven exclaimed as he called back the Nidorino and Surge blinked.

What was he doing?

The Pallet Trainer ran across to his right side and Surge's left before spin throwing another Poké ball. "Go!" he simply exclaimed and Surge growled.

"Raichu; get up!" he called and the Mouse Pokémon quickly leapt to its feet.

A turtle like Pokémon leapt out of the sphere, eyes narrowed and Surge grinned.

"A Water Type… Raichu?" he called lightly in his grin and the Electric Type in question let out a purr of its own name in a grin. It then – as expected – let out a torrent of electricity in a well aimed Thunderbolt, successfully catching the Wartortle in the middle of its tracks.

"Steven! Call Wartortle back; it can't handle that kind of power!" Misty yelled over as she winced but Steven only narrowed his red eyes with a frown, not listening it seemed. Surge grinned; this match was in the bag.

Wartortle suddenly disappeared.

"Wha-" the Lieutenant blinked in confusion. His Raichu had thus stopped and blinked along with its master.

"Ha! Simple Double Team evasion!" Steven smirked before Surge gasped in knowing. "Aqua Tail, go!" the Pallet trainer ordered in a narrow eyed scowl. The Water type reappeared behind the growling Raichu and executed its attack, swiping its tail covered in Water energy across its enemy's face and sending it tumbling backwards away from its master. "All right; back!" he called back the Wartortle and it returned to its Poké ball.

"Dammit!" Surge yelled in obvious growing anger. "Get up Raichu; do it now!" the Electric type specialist ordered angrily and Steven smirked in his increasing chances to win.

"I don't believe it." Misty murmured in amazement. "He's actually doing pretty good,"

"Looks like it; the crowd seems to be on his side." Bill agreed in a small smile as he looked 'round at the crowd members; they all seemed to be grinning over in Steven's direction.

The boy himself however leapt to his left as he continued with his battle strategy, pulling out another Poké ball and throwing it forward. Another Pokémon unlike any before he had used popped up and leapt at its still recovering enemy but not without its trainer throwing forth a Fire Stone forward.

"What's he doing?" Misty called out and Bill gasped as he widened his eyes.

"How did he find _that?_" the researcher murmured in narrowed eyes and Misty blinked in wonder.

"What?" she called in impatience. Bill smiled down at her.

"Just watch Misty."

The Fire Stone mixed with the white smoke that came with the Poké ball and a bright light emanated from the area in which his Pokémon leapt from. Surge yelled in angry impatience as he covered his eyes from the blinding flash, eliciting his Raichu to do the same as it attempted to raise itself clumsily.

A red furred Pokémon leapt from the open Poké ball; it stood on its four legs like a dog or a cat and its colour indicated it as a Fire Type.

"Ember!" its trainer shot out with and Surge even laughed as he did so.

"A Fire Type? Come on kid; gimme some credit!" he yelled in his laughter however his Raichu was caught off guard once again by the oncoming Ember strikes and Steven smirked before calling his Fire Type back. Surge gasped as he noticed Raichu growling in its pain and certain burn marks on it. "Damn!" he exclaimed in his growing anger as he scowled up at the grinning Steven.

He – of course – threw another Poké ball as he leapt to his left and out popped his Fire Type Pokémon once again; Surge grinned.

"You ain't gettin' away with it this time!" he yelled at his opponent before turning attention down to his Raichu. "Get up and Thunderbolt him!" he ordered and the Electric Type struggled to get on its feet, presumably from the added HP damage as well as the Burn status problem it had. However it managed to carry out its order and growled as it let loose a strong Thunderbolt towards its enemy.

"What Pokémon IS that he's using?" Misty asked she narrowed her aqua green eyes at the Pocket Monster in question.

"Right now… It's a Flareon; a Fire Type," Bill grinned lightly as he watched and Misty blinked curiously up at the researcher.

"What do you mean 'right now'?" she questioned in a raise of her red eyebrow and he grinned back.

"Just watch."

The Thunderbolt flew forwards for its enemy but before it could connect with the Flareon, Steven cast forth another Evolution Stone but this one a different colour, texture and sense than the last one. A thunderbolt carving was etched on it and the crowd seemed to murmur in wonder at his possible objective. Surge however laughed as always.

"You expect that to work after already evolvin' that Eevee?" he laughed however just as if to counter his claim the Flareon's position began to change once again in a flashing light. "Agh!" he exclaimed in anger as he shielded his eyes from the bright light that emanated forth. He heard the Thunderbolt connect and grin as it crackled and boomed in a satisfying sound that he enjoyed before looking forward at the rubble his Pokémon caused.

And a new Pokémon in place of the previous Flareon leapt forth in narrowed eyes for his Raichu; this one with its now yellow coloured fur sticking out in spiky ends.

"What the hell?" he yelled in surprised anger and the crowd's murmuring grew as Steven grinned.

"How'd he _do_ that? No Pokémon researcher has been able to-" Misty began in a blinking, surprised expression.

"Shh!" Bill interrupted in a narrow of his own eyes and Misty sighed but complied anyway.

"Double Kick; go!" Steven ordered quickly and the yellow furred Pokémon let out a battle cry before connecting its paws with the wide eyed Raichu. The Electric Type in question let out a pained cry as it was knocked into the air from the first kick and then finally sent tumbling in a back wards roll.

"Damn you kid!" Surge yelled in his lucid anger, his beefy arms shaking from his trembling dangerous might. "Raichu! Get up!" he ordered for the umpteenth time but the Electric Type Mouse seemed to have even more trouble getting up from its swift enemy's attacks. Steven however had no trouble in calling back his new Pokémon and sprinting forward; Surge somehow knew this was the end.

Perhaps even for him.

The crowd fell deathly silent as they listened to the challenger run across the ship's floor boards, fingering one more Poké ball. "Now to finish!" he exclaimed in a narrow eyed scowl before yelling and smashing his Poké balled fist down into the floor boards, successfully smashing them apart. They only noticed however a presence underneath the floor boards racing towards its enemy Raichu, coughing up the wooden boards around the area as it did; this did _not_ go unnoticed by Surge however who gasped in yellow coloured widened eyes.

"I know that move…!" he whispered in widened eyes before scowling and turning to his struggling Pokémon. "Raichu; you gotta get up _now_ or-" the Lieutenant yelled over as he scowled however as the racing lump in the floor boards got closer it was too late. As it reached the gasping, wide eyed Raichu the lump actually seemed to disappear.

But only for a silent second.

"_ATTAAAAACK!_"

On cue the lump reappeared and the Poison Type Nidorino burst vertically up from the floor boards, successfully catching the yelling Raichu in its stomach area with its horn.

"A Supereffective hit!" Misty exclaimed as she laughed in an open mouthed smile and Bill grinned as he watched.

"Amazing; to think he would discover such a strategy so quickly." the Administrator claimed as he folded his arms.

Time almost stopped for the wide eyed Surge as he watched his Raichu slowly fall to the ground in a pained expression on its face before it finally crashed down in a grunting tumble, face down.

It was either now fainted or at least damn near it.

Steven's Nidorino landed next to its panting young Trainer, a little out of breath itself even, on their one knee on the ground. He grinned however in his fatigue as he turned his head to the lightly grinning Tom, issuing him an open mouthed smirk and thumbs up.

"What's your name kid?" someone whispered in the young red capped boy's ear and he blinked as he turned his head before grinning lightly to find the Sailor Oliver frowning down at him.

"Steven,"

"Winner! Challenger Steven!" the Sailor smiled in announcement as he brought the young boy's arm up, eliciting a lowered head and shut eyed grin from him in response. The crowd clapped for him and gave off smiles of approve however Lieutenant Surge was less than impressed.

He yelled in his growing anger as he began a run forward, eventually gaining attention from the clapping crowd. He pulled another of his Poké balls back for obvious throwing but seemed to aim for the gasping and wide eyed Steven.

He couldn't defend himself in time!

"Lieutenant no!" Oliver yelled as he attempted to stand in the furious man's way however his commanding officer merely yelled in annoyance as he swatted him away. Nidorino attempted to use its remaining energy to stop the man in his tracks with a Horn Attack on the Poké ball he held but just as before he used his left hand to slap the Poison Type away harmlessly.

Surge yelled in pure livid anger as he pulled back his Poké ball and Steven watched with widened eyes as he grit his teeth, feet frozen in movement.

Suddenly however a Thunderbolt from no where crackled and bombed on him, causing him to halt immediately and yell to the heavens in the sudden upsurge of electricity. The crowd gasped as they watched and Steven grunted as he shielded his face from the flashing electricity ahead of him before finally it stopped and Surge grunted in his pain as he fell to his knees. He snapped his head up in a blink however and looked around to find his Raichu staring back in a weak scowl, struggling to stay on its knees let alone on its feet.

It used the last of its power it seemed.

It finally fell to the ground face down and gave a final grunt as it did so.

"Damn!" Surge murmured as he looked away from the Mouse Pokémon. "You're right." he added on before looking down at his fatigued opponent. "I stepped out o' place; you won and I lost. That's all there is to it." he began with a grin as he outstretched one of his strong arms forth for an obvious hand shake. Steven slowly grinned as he brought forth his own arm after recalling back his Nidorino.

And instantly regretted it.

The Lieutenant squeezed hard on the young boy's arm causing him to suck in air through his teeth and widen his red eyes.

"Too much… strength…!" Steven whispered as he shook in place.

Surge grinned down at him before releasing his arm and instantly the young Pallet Trainer growled as he stood back up in a threatening manner, just barely reaching his enemy's height.

Though only because the Lieutenant was currently on his knees.

He then stood up himself and Steven shrank back but just a little, continuing his narrow eyed scowl. Surge managed one himself and folded his arms as he exchanged scowls with the young boy.

"Break it up!" Misty called over as she ran up to the young boy and yanking at his right arm, successfully pulling him back. "You don't wanna fight him!" she whispered in his ear as she grit her teeth but Steven didn't seem to be listening; he only scowled further back at the imposing man in front of him, the two never ending.

"Thank you all ladies and gentleman for joining us this evening but unless you have a ticket for the SS. Saint Anne World Tour could you please exit the ship as we are about to close." the receptionist smiled in a heightened voice as he clasped his hands together. Steven kept his scowl on the also scowling Lieutenant Surge however as he was led away by the wincing Misty and Bill.

He'd get his, Steven thought.

_**4**_

By now the rain had stopped and Steven was glad enough for that at least but…

Lieutenant Surge still left an impression on his ego.

"You're lucky you didn't get destroyed!" Misty hissed at him as they walked down the plank leading to and from the SS. Saint Anne.

"He deserved it; you know that!" Steven shot back in annoyance as he flipped his head at his companion, the two stepping off and onto Vermilion's streets.

"He may well _have_ deserved it but that doesn't mean you should start picking fights with incredibly large men!" she hissed back at him and he growled lightly as he looked away from her.

She _was_ right he supposed.

He did just realise the man could've floored him, perhaps even _killed_ him the way his anger grew.

And he calls himself a Lieutenant.

Pf, he thought.

"Glad to see you guys are all right,"

Misty and Steven turned their heads up to find the smiling trainer from earlier that had won the knockout round previously. He was perhaps a little older than Steven and carried a back pack held by one ring around his shoulder, had short brown hair and a simple smile on his face. Bill stood next to him with an amiable smile on his face.

"Oh; yeah we're fine." Misty smiled lightly back. "Oh! That was some great battling you showed back there," she claimed and the boy chuckled as he ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"Ha, ha; I wish. That Surge guy totally destroyed me," he grinned behind his nervous laughter. Steven blinked at his strange accent; he couldn't have been from Kanto.

"It's understandable; he's been pretty famous with that Raichu of his," Misty smiled.

"Your friend really did a number on him though; not many people can say that huh?" the boy laughed as he nodded to the blinking Steven whom immediately grinned back.

"Oh yeah!" he replied in a confident fist.

"That was it really; I just wanted to thank you for helping me and putting that big lummox in his place,"

"Hey anythin' for adorin' fans!" Steven shot back in an obnoxious grin as he shut one eye in a wink and issued thumbs up. The young boy laughed back.

"Where is it you're from if you don't mind me asking?" Misty asked as she turned her head in a curious blink. "You have a very strong accent," she complimented and he smiled back.

"I'm actually from Sinnoh," he claimed in his smile and Steven blinked.

"What's a Sinnoh?" he asked stupidly and Misty rolled her eyes at him.

"It's a region far away," she explained quickly and the boy blinked.

"Oh." he murmured before widening his eyes and grinning. "Gotta go there now!" he exclaimed and Bill laughed at his exuberance.

"It's very beautiful but this is my first time in Kanto so I'm here for the sights really," the boy explained as he smiled and Bill smiled back down at him amicably.

"We could help you with that; right guys?" Bill asked his companions for verification and sure enough garnered positive responses from both of them.

"No one knows Kanto like we do!" Steven grinned as he edged a thumb on himself. Misty chuckled with him.

The boy laughed and outstretched a hand. "Name's Tom by the way,"

Steven took it in a grin. "Kanto Champion," he shot back in his confident grin and Tom blinked at his dubious claim before Misty rolled her eyes in a sigh before she took Tom's hand in her own shake.

"His name's Steven; mine's is Misty." she introduced and Tom laughed lightly.

"Just Bill," the Administrator himself gave claim to his name as he smiled down at the boy whom nodded back.

"Great; so what'd you guys have planned?" Tom asked as he smiled at the three.

"Well we could always have a look at what Vermilion has to offer," Misty offered in a smile of her own.

"WAAAIIIIIT." Steven interjected with a narrow of his eyes and everyone turned in a curious blink. "Those Pokémon; show me!" he grinned at the boy as he pointed an accusing like finger and Tom blinked as he was taken aback by the sheer simple nature of the question. He turned to his companions for a better translation of what the boy meant and Misty frowned back at him.

"He means to show him your Pokémon," she translated for him and he nodded in a small laugh.

"I must admit I'm quite curious myself," Bill concurred as he smiled.

"Fair enough." the boy laughed before he brought out three Poké balls however before releasing them he looked up at the eagerly watching Steven to give a grin back and he blinked in response.

What did he want now?

"On one condition; you show me _yours_. As well as that weird Eevee of yours," he replied in his grin and Steven blinked before chuckling nervously.

"Yeah that's a good point; I wanna know on that one too," Misty claimed as she folded her arms and frowned at the red capped boy.

"In time!" he shot back in a raise of his index finger and the former Gym Leader rolled her eyes at him. However the boy finally _did_ take out his Poké ball in a smirk and raised it overhead before opening up the sphere and sure enough the last evolved Pokémon he gained, the yellow furred one, came out of the ball and blinked up at its watchers before smiling back up at them.

"Jolt!" it exclaimed exuberantly as it stood on its four legs.

"Ooh." Tom murmured as he brought out his regional Pokédex to have a look.

_#165 Jolteon__; Lightning Pokémon_

_It controls 10,000 v__olt power and can raise all the fur on its body as if it were sharp needles._

"Interesting," the Sinnoh based Trainer murmured as he looked through the numerous functions and Steven raised an eyebrow.

That didn't sound right.

He opened his own version of the Pokédex and typed in his Jolteon's registration, zooming right up.

_#135 Jolteon_

_Lightning Pokémon_

_It accumulates negative ions in the atmosphere to blast out 10,000 volt lightning bolts._

"That's weird, Steven blinked down at the registration before looking up at his new companion who in turn raised an eyebrow. The two boys moved closer to compare entries and sure enough they were both different; even down to the picture provided.

"I've heard that after Professor Oak managed to create the Version I Pokédex, other researchers around the world have managed to create their own variations," Misty spoke up in a small smiled explanation and the two boys nodded in blinks.

"Well I got mine from Mr. Rowan in Sinnoh's Sandgem Town," the boy explained briefly and Steven shrugged unknowingly.

"Oak in Pallet," he replied back only in his frown.

"So tell us Steven." Bill began in a swift subject change in his smile as he folded his arms. The Pallet bound Trainer looked up in a curious blink. "How did you find that Eevee?" the Administrator asked in a knowing eyebrow raise and Steven grinned.

"Actually I took it from that guy that attacked us earlier. If you remember," he shot back and Bill blinked in wonder before his eyes slowly widened with realisation.

"You _stole_ that from Richard Scott?" the Administrator whispered as if it were the greatest secret to be spoken and Steven grinned unwittingly as he nodded.

"Yeah!"

"Are you _insane?_" he shot back in his hiss and Steven blinked in his frown as he laid his arms to rest on the back of his head. "Oh no," Bill added in a worried murmur.

"We were supposed to go looking for him today weren't we?" Misty asked him in a wince of her own and Bill groaned in confirmation.

"Oops," said Steven in a wince.

"Is everything all right?" Tom asked in a curious blink. Misty smiled over at him weakly in a dismissive wave.

"It's fine; we just had something else we were supposed to do that's all," she claimed and Tom smiled back in a nod.

"We'll find him again sooner or later," Steven claimed as he scowled and looked out of Vermilion's east exit, eyes narrowed.

"If he doesn't find us first." Bill muttered in a scowling wince. "You realise he's probably going to kill you now if he finds you?"

Steven shook his head in a determined frown. "Not like last time; I ain't gonna let him," the boy claimed and Bill sighed.

"Gotta be careful from now on," Misty said as she bit her lip in quiet worry.

"So who's this Richard Scott gentleman?" the Sinnoh based Trainer asked as he walked forward in a curious blink.

"You ever heard of Kanto's Team Rocket?" Cerulean's former Gym Leader asked as she frowned over at the boy and he nodded in confirmation.

"Yes but only through the Sinnoh Advertiser newspaper; they say it's a large organisation around both Kanto _and_ Johto that continually breaks the law." he claimed in his frown as he recited his memory. "In fact they likened it to a sort of Mafia organisation,"

Misty smiled sadly and weakly, head lowered a little as she nodded. "Yeah that sounds like them,"

"That Richard guy's a member but we think he's just a Grunt." Steven admitted as he frowned away in thought, perhaps even looking for the man himself. "Well whatever." he muttered before looking down and grinning at the watching Jolteon below him. "At least I got you!" the boy grinned as he petted the smiling Electric Type. It raised its head appreciatively as it smiled up at him.

"Jolt!" it exclaimed happily.

"If that's the case then Rocket must be undergoing experiments using Pokémon," Bill mused aloud as he narrowed his eyes down at the smiling Jolteon, raising his finger to rest on his chin as he did so.

"I wouldn't be surprised really." Misty admitted as she frowned before slowly smiling down at the happy Electric Type. "But at least it's in the right hands now," she finished in a smile of her own.

"Well we better get you guys to the centre huh?" Steven smirked down at the Pokémon in question. "We can even enjoy the sights too huh?" he turned up to grin at the blinking group.

"Little late isn't it?" Bill raised an eyebrow.

"No way! The best stuff _happens_ at night!" the Pallet Trainer grinned back exuberantly before turning to the blinking Tom as he recalled back his Jolteon. "We gotta get goin'! No time to waste!" he grinned before grabbing the three's arms and leading them off.

Misty couldn't help but laugh.

_**5**_

"Good; we got it." Rick smirked quietly as he gripped at the glowing Thunder Badge in his right hand. "That makes three; where next?" he growled however in an impatient scowl and his partner winced as always when dealing with him.

"Celadon City," Ben murmured in his worried wince and Rick smirked.

"I heard o' that place; the Boss is stationed there isn't he?" the Rocket Grunt grinned as the two walked on through Route Eleven just outside of Vermilion City. He bent down however to retrieve his scout knife from the body of a hapless journeyman.

"Y-Yes." Ben nodded in confirmation as he watched in his pained wince, blood spurting from the dead man's chest. "Yes he is,"

"You know I came from that city," Rick stated as he stood back up and turned his frown on the city behind them. Ben blinked.

"Celadon?"

"No ya fuckin' idiot." the Grunt shot back angrily but calmly enough in a narrow eyed scowl before reinstating his eyes to the city ahead of him. He pointed and Ben turned. "Vermilion,"

Ben blinked as he turned around to marvel at the city of lights. "I didn't know that,"

"Mm," he began in a scowl once more as he turned again.

"Then you must be…" Ben began also as he turned in a narrow eyed frown. Rick turned back around as he was addressed in his usual angry scowl.

"The Scourge of Vermilion," the Grunt answered for him in his scowl. Ben's eyes widened.

"I'd heard that the Don had personally recruited someone from Vermilion City but… I thought it was just rumours," Ben explained in a curious expression as he walked forward to join his scowling partner. Rick looked away in his scowl as he turned to continue walking along the Route, his boots crunching on the grass.

"Nah. It was ten years ago; I was fourteen at the time," he began and Ben widened his eyes.

"You were so young-"

"And pissy." Rick shot back as he scowled, hands in his pockets as he hunched back. "I was the leader of that gang; the Scourge of Vermilion; we raided shipments that usually came in by the Vermilion Docks to keep ourselves afloat, usually from the ICL,"

"You're kidding." Ben murmured in a taken aback expression. "The ICL are the biggest power broker _in_ this continent,"

"Yeah well." Rick merely waved off the comment in his usual scowl, unchanged by his claim. "There was a package on board the Saint Anne ten years ago that the Boss was after; we got there first,"

"And?"

"And the Boss found out obviously." Rick shot back as he turned his now neutral frown on his watching and intrigued partner. "Some weak ass Grunt at the time tried to report our gang to the Boss but he didn't go for us like I thought he would." he began and Ben raised a brown eyebrow as he listened. "Don't know what it was to this day that made him do it but the Boss cornered my gang and asked me to join,"

"Oh no," Ben murmured in knowing, widened eyes.

"Yep." the Grunt began before turning his head back around in an ominous grin. "I killed 'em," he grinned toothily at his partner and the young man winced as he looked away from him. Rick kept his grin up but turned his head back around.

"Why would you _do_ that to your old friends Rick? I don't understand you," Ben began in his weak frown as he watched him. Rick's eye twitched as he listened and like a lightning bolt the Grunt growled and snapped his body 'round to point the blade of his scout knife up against his gasping partner's throat.

Silence in the dark Route.

"Think I've gotten as about as up close and personal with you as I'm gonna get." he warned slowly and in narrowed eyes. He received nothing but a wordless and wincing nod from the younger Grunt by about two years before he grunted and pulled back from his sudden assault, eyes narrowed in a scowl as he did so. Ben let out a built up combo of heavy breaths as he lowered his body slightly from the surprise. "It was kill or be killed Ben; it was what the Boss wanted," Rick muttered back as he continued and Ben blinked before following carefully.

"It's a better life here for you isn't it? In Team Rocket?" the young man asked as he frowned. The twenty four year old Grunt in question didn't seem to respond for several seconds before he nodded.

"Yeah." he replied quietly as they walked. Ben smiled lightly.

"_What do you know."_ the young man thought to himself. _"A little humanity in him."_

"Touching,"

Rick gasped in his angry scowled growl, his eyes and head darting around for the source of the echoing voice.

"What was that?" Ben exclaimed in wide eyed surprise.

Suddenly the area around the two Rocket Grunts stirred up with the wind and they grunted as they brought their arms up to defend against the torrent. Sure enough however the wind formed into a person and a grinning man stood in front of them, hands raised to form hand signs of some kind. He wore a strange outfit that seemed to suit more of a country's ninja than anything else; his black hair however was more cropped short with a single strand hanging down from the spiky bundle of hair.

Rick narrowed his eyes as he recognised the man; Koga Venin.

"I had no idea you were originally a gang thug Mr. Scott," the man called Koga grinned over at him as he stood in a perfect posture. Rick growled and narrowed his eyes even further _(if that were possible)_ and his grip on his scout knife tightened.

"We all start somewhere," the Grunt shot back in his hateful scowl.

"Yes; we do." Koga stated in his grin as he narrowed his own eyes before finally outstretching a careless hand. "Vermilion's Thunder Badge please," he ordered in his grin and Rick scowled back wordlessly. Silence passed between the three as Rick's scowl mixed with Koga's confident grin.

Ben winced; Rick was never good with confrontations.

Rick stared back into the smiling eyes of Koga Venin with his usual scowl.

Why did he want the badge? What did _he_ have to do with all this? As far as Rick knew, Koga himself was a Gym Leader of the far off Fuchsia City. Could he be hired by the Indigo Conference League to pick up after the Gym Leaders?

Or was it something else?

Regardless Rick stayed true to his orders.

The young man opened forth his own outstretched, open palm to reveal the glowing Thunder Badge itself. "Here." he simply said and Koga raised a black eyebrow but moved slowly forwards anyway, eyes narrowed. The two stood, Koga staring down at the glaring Rick before the ninja man lowered his own hand to grip for the Thunder Badge.

Rick was quick.

He grunted and narrowed his eyes as he pulled his open palm back before shooting forward with his scout knife in his other hand to slash at the surprised Koga, diagonally downwards however the Fuchsia Gym Leader managed to catch in time and counter guarded with his own knife; a Kunai knife, eliciting sparks from the two blades before he back flipped away in safety.

Once safe from each other, the two glared at each other wordlessly.

"Rick!" Ben hissed as he winced and the Rocket Grunt in question didn't seem to acknowledge his presence at all. "Just give him the Thunder Badge!"

"Shut up or I'll kill you too," the young man shot back in his scowl almost monotonously and Ben gasped, taken aback from his partner's comments.

"Richard Scott isn't it?" Koga called over as he knelt down with narrowed eyes, a hand down on the ground as he watched him. Rick narrowed his eyes in his usual scowl back. "I have spoken with the Don; he has agreed to work with us on this matter." the man claimed and Rick raised a brown eyebrow.

Bullshitter, he thought.

Koga regained his grin however and raised his Kunai knife as he stared back. "As if he had any other choice," the man chuckled ominously and Ben raised his own eyebrow in curiosity.

"What do you mean 'us'? Who are you working with?" the young man called over in a suspicious tone and Koga turned his eyes over to the young Rocket Grunt in question.

"Your organisation's providers," the man smirked back confidently and Ben cocked his head to the side in wonder.

"I bet it's that fuckin' ICL." Rick growled back in his angry scowl and Koga raised an eyebrow at the comment. "Isn't it?" he burst out suddenly in his angered yell. Koga only chuckled ominously as he grinned toothily back at him. Rick's rage grew almost sky high at the reply before going into his belt for the one and only Poké ball at his belt. He yelled in his anger and threw it forward, opening up into a crash. "Karate Chop the fucker!" he yelled out in his order and the Poison Type specialist raised an eyebrow.

Out of the Poké ball leapt an angry Pokémon; much like its master. A monkey like Pokémon that exclaimed its name as it did so; a Mankey. However Koga was not one to be taken aback it seemed and the Gym Leader smirked as he took his own Poké ball out with the quickest of movements; so fast that the watching Ben couldn't even see him move.

Out popped a narrow eyed pile of literal muck and it roared its own name; the eloquent Muk. Mankey's Karate Chop bounced harmlessly off the roaring Muk's body of literal muck.

"Dammit!" Rick gasped in his growing anger as he noted the type differences.

"Gunk Shot." Koga ordered quietly in his low grin.

"Muk!" the Poison Type yelled before shooting forth a missile of poison energy from its mouth and into the wide eyed Mankey, sending it sprawling backwards and presumably fainted already.

That damn Muk had to be over level!

He heard a noise behind him and gasped as he about turned in widened eyes to find a grinning and levitating Poison Type above him.

A Koffing.

"Gyro Ball." Koga's voice ordered once more and the Koffing grinned as it shot forth the Steel Type move, crashing into the bellowing Rick. He attempted to defend with his arms in a defensive 'x' posture but it ripped at his clothes and even caused numerous scratches as it smashed itself into him, sending him skidding across the crunchy grass to lie with his fainted Mankey.

Koga grinned lightly as he slowly made his way over to the fallen Rick and his Mankey. "Muk." the Gym Leader quietly ordered and the Poison Type moved to action; it quickly body slammed itself on top of the wide eyed and yelling Rick, successfully pinning him down. "Koffing." he ordered once more and the Poison Type in question nodded before turning to eye the wincing Ben suspiciously, waiting for him to make a move. "Now you see Mr. Scott; while it is good to have one ace in the hole." he began before standing over the growling and glaring man, folding his arms as he did so. "It's better to have two," he stated in his prideful, ever expanding grin.

"This fuckin' thing stinks," Rick complained lowly as he scowled up at the man.

"Yes it does, doesn't it?" the Gym Leader agreed with him with an ominous chuckle. "All right Muk." he said and the Pokémon in question gave a groan before pulling itself off of the grunting Rick, a shining object in its body. Koga recalled back his Muk and Koffing back to their Poké balls before grinning and issuing the two Rocket members a mocking salute. "Pleasure doing business with you Team Rocket." the man smirked before suddenly the wind stirred up and he was gone once more. Rick yelled as he leapt after him and cut at the air with his scout knife but unfortunately the man had left by the time he had the energy to attack.

"Fuckin' _bastard_," Rick muttered under his breath as he scowled deeply and harshly.

"The Don isn't going to be happy when he finds this out," Ben murmured as he walked up to the fallen Mankey and cradled it in his arms. Rick scowled back at him.

"Then we don't let him find out," he shot back.

"What if he does? Koga can talk," the young man asked as he turned his head and Rick narrowed his eyes ahead of himself towards Route Twelve.

"Then we find and kill him; come on." the Grunt shot back once more before continuing forwards. Ben winced and gripped at the fainted Mankey, following wordlessly.

_**6**_

"I can't believe we found a tailor open at this time of night," Tom laughed as he looked down at his new outfit; simple but smart. Grey slacks, light brown jacket on top of a green vest, simple brown hat and to go with it; a green coloured cane.

"I can't believe we found one that _fit_ you," Misty giggled at the young boy and he laughed along with her.

"What do you think Winston?" the gentlemanly dressed Trainer now turned his grin down at his Weavile whom now stood upwards in a perfect image of a gentleman itself. It sipped at a cup of tea in its hands as it shut its eyes, one of them in a monocle.

"Rather spiffing one would believe." the Weavile spoke in its strong accent, sipping at its hot tea. The group all laughed.

"Well this looks to be it; thank you my friends. You've shown me the kindness I never expected in a new country." Tom smiled up at the similarly smiling three. "I won't forget the outfit either by the way," the cane wielding young boy smirked back at the grinning Steven.

"Ha, ha!" the Pallet Trainer laughed back as he placed his arms to rest on the back of his head.

"So where next then? Have you got it planned out?" Bill asked outright as he smiled over at him. The Gentleman grinned back over at the researcher.

"Yes! We're going straight north to give Saffron City a visit; I hear it's Kanto's biggest," he claimed and Bill chuckled.

"It is; commercialisation and such," he grinned back.

"So listen!" Steven's voice interrupted and the Gentleman looked up in a blink. The Pallet Trainer in question grinned as he walked a step forwards and outstretched his arm forwards to be shaken. "You taught me a lot about your country's Pokémon and it's all helped. To be honest I don't think I could've beaten that Surge guy without your help," he laughed embarrassingly and Tom grinned.

"Well you three showed me around and I made my first friends in Kanto so it all balances out." the young boy smiled as he took his hand and shook it. "Say good bye Winston!" he ordered in his smile and the Weavile in question moved forward to nod at the three respectfully.

"Pleasant to meet all of you I daresay," he smiled and Steven grinned.

"Well we'll be off then; places to go and people to see." Tom smiled up at the watching three whom nodded. He smiled and waved at them before turning and heading up the path to Route Six.

"We'll meet up again someday!" Steven called after him as he ran a few steps forward, waving like an idiot. "And this time I'll beat _you!_" he finished in his grin. Tom could be seen turning and smiling, waving back.

"You think we really _will_ see him again?" Misty asked honestly as she turned her head in a curious frown.

"Eh who can say?" Steven smiled as he lowered himself once more. "Even if we don't; I'm happy. I got to see Pokémon of a different region and even found out other things, like that there's different Pokédexes." he claimed in his smile as he placed a hand to rest on his waist, the other resting above on his forehead. Misty smiled over at him. "Nah; when I think on it I'm _sure_ we'll meet again. I gotta beat him after all," he claimed in his grin.

"But for now?" Bill chuckled over at him.

His grin widened as he turned his head in direction to the Vermilion Gym. "For now… the Thunder Badge!"

A/N: MMMM NOSTALGIA


	12. The Lightning American!

**Chapter 13: The Lightning American!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise as everyone obviously knows. Oh disclaimers.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Victory Fanfare – Gym Leader" – Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver. **__Scene __**1 **__(First Half)._

_**Arceus Battle – Pokémon Platinum. **__Scene __**1 **__(First Half)._

_** Stephen King's IT Medley – Richard Bellis. **Scene **1 **(Second Half)._

_**"Far East Suite; Pizzicato" – Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood OST 2. **__Scene __**2.**_

_** "It's The Training!" – Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **6. **(First Half)_

_** "I Got a Victory Badge!" – Pokémon Anime OST. **Scene **6**. (Second Half)_

_A/N: Yo everyone. Next Chapter._

_hironada: Thanks dude I REALLY appreciate the review; there's too many readers with their thumbs up their ass to be bluntly honest. =/ And thanks for the compliments and whatnot but even I can't see this taking off at all; none of my work was ever good enough to be blunt again but fuck it; if at least SOMEONE enjoys it then I can. Thanks again dude and hope you enjoy etc, etc._

_King Weavilian: I wondered whether it was you that was Standard-DB or not but hey there you go. ;p Thanks for the two reviews dude; I really appreciate them and thanks for the compliments too. Anyway hope you enjoy as well and whatever._

_**Scene 1**_

"_Thank you, thank you!" Steven grinned as he tipped his hat in victory, his Blastoise grinning back at him from beneath the stadium, showing forth confident thumbs up as it did so. "We're always available for battles; rain or shine!" the young man grinned as he stood, suddenly hugely tall and no longer twelve years old. He was eighteen now and an expert Trainer and Battler; one with an absurdly handsome face and rock hard abs beneath his old outfit consisting of a short sleeve red and white jacket, black shirt and blue jeans._

_Old school._

_He decided to walk his way down the winding staircase which led to and exited the Trainer Stand issued in the ICL League Tournament and he grinned as he did so, arms on his hips and eyes shut overconfidently._

"_Champion once more! Yeah I know!" Steven grinned in his shut eyes as the women all screamed his name and began to surround him as quickly as they could, soon eclipsing him and his open route however he still managed to walk down the road, mobbed or not. Their arms all roamed his confined abs appreciatively and squealed madly as they did so. Steven grinned as he listened to them._

_He couldn't blame them; who else could with this much success?_

_He raised his head and stopped in front of the fallen Venusaur lying at his feet and grinned up at his opponent as he did so; a frowning as always Ross Oak. The women that ran by him to reach Steven all grimaced as they even came within a few steps of the researcher's grandson, even spitting at his feet._

_Steven couldn't blame them either; his own physical beauty completely _destroyed _Ross'._

"_Well." Ross began in a wincing sigh as he looked down at his fallen Pokémon before smiling weakly up at his grinning rival. "I lost,"_

"_Of _course_ you lost Ross! How many times _is_ that though?" he asked in a curious turn of his head. Ross grimaced as he spoke._

"_Little over a hundred now,"_

"_Ah! You see?" he smiled invitingly and walked forth to place a fatherly clap on his rival's shoulder. "I've _always_ been better!" he grinned and grabbed the older young man in a manly show of affection. He smiled weakly in response._

"_Yeah; you're better 'n me Steve and that's it," Ross smiled lightly as he stood._

"_Got dat right!" the young man grinned back as he issued forth a victorious peace sign towards the squealing fan girls ahead of him. However before he could continue on his own manliness factor a whistle sounded behind him and he turned in a grin, expecting the Indigo Conference League CEO himself to run down and congratulate him._

_He was met with a swift impalement through his stomach, sending him staggering and gasping back in widened eyes, pain flaring immediately through his chest. He coughed out blood and shocked at the painful stab through his chest he looked down gradually to notice a red colour adorning the tentacle that pierced through him._

_It looked… familiar somehow but…_

_He gasped and coughed out a little more blood before looking up slowly to find the wide eyed Ross also impaled, blood running down his jacket and shirt as he mixed a dumbfounded stare with the young man. The red tentacle seemed to pierce through his heart, causing the mass amount of blood to flow outward. The tentacle suddenly yanked itself out of the two men's chests, sending them grunting away; Ross to the floor in a pained heap and Steven staggering back once more in his gagging, wide eyed and grit teethed cringe. His arms went up to his chest to feel his gaping wound and he cringed again before falling to his knees from his pure weak will._

_No one was screaming his name anymore; no women or general fans, all was silent. He wasn't an older man now; he was twelve years old once again and his breathing hitched to suit his old and smaller form._

"_B-Blastoise." he murmured in his pained coughs as he looked up in a shut eyed wince, blood falling from his mouth as he did so. The Water Type in question – just like Ross – had fallen to the ground in its pain, covering the area in its blood._

_His red eyes widened even further as he watched and struggled to stay upright on his hands and knees however a tapping sound ahead of him made the trainer look forward ahead of himself._

_Two shadows stalked towards him, one taller than the other and obviously a man wearing a long coat, hat and cane. The form in front of him was a little smaller in terms of height but in no way was it any less intimidating._

_This shadow carried the bloodstained tentacles._

_Was it… was it a _Pokémon?

_No…_

_Not anything like this…_

_Steven got an incredible vibe of anger from this being, whatever it was and Pokémon or not…_

_He had to run!_

_He attempted to raise himself and nearly managed it but his body and thoughts were cut short instantly by another of the monster's racing tentacle's smashing through his forehead and his body instantly stopped, twitched a few times and then finally fell limp, head falling low in a permanently shocked expression._

"Steven!" Misty exclaimed as she pushed and pushed at him in a wince, his still asleep body jerking madly in its sleep, grit teeth, shut eyes and twitching all the same. As if he were paralysed somehow, whines escaped his lips which hitched and were suddenly stopped midway through.

He must be in a nightmare, she thought.

A _serious_ nightmare.

His breathing suddenly stopped in a pained hitching sound and Misty's aqua green eyes widened as she watched, gasping as she did so. Worry began to seep further into her mind and she shook him a little harder, eyes narrowed.

His eyes suddenly snapped themselves open and the red orbs quickly scanned the room as if for any intruders and whether there were any or not he quickly rose up his arms to encompass his body and the two sides of his head, trembling madly. Misty watched in a half curious, half horrified blink of her eyes.

What did he _dream _about?

He seemed to finally notice her presence and snapped his head around as he did so, terrified as a newborn rabbit.

"It's me Steve." she smiled at him and climbed up on the bed on her knees to open her arms invitingly.

He looked like he needed a hug.

… Maybe even _therapy_…

The young trainer soon realised the young girl's identity and suddenly leapt forth in a crying hug, allowing himself to yell as he did so. The young red head was taken aback by his sudden and forceful embrace but nevertheless held him against her and winced as she stroked his hair.

Damn, she thought.

She felt his tears dampen her shoulder and frowned down at him as he continually and almost silently cried into her.

"You're safe now." she murmured, unsure completely of what to really say to him but she figured this was safe enough a guess. "You're safe." she repeated quietly as she stroked him gently, wincing as his grip grew tighter.

Before she could continue however the door to Steven's room suddenly burst open and a brightly smiling Bill walked on through, pleasant as a peach. He carried a plate and a sizzling frying pan in the other hand.

"Beautiful morning today guys! You should see the su-" the researcher began in his infectious grin however his grin faltered as he noted the scene ahead of him in a curious blink. "What's with him?" he asked in his blink and Misty turned her head over in a wincing shake of her head.

He quickly added it up.

"Oh; a nightmare huh." he asked lowly in a wincing frown. She nodded gravely and he cringed. "Must have been a doozy." he muttered before smiling lightly once more. "Bring him down once he's settled okay?" he whispered over and she nodded in her light smile before he gave her one of his former smiles and headed back out, quietly shutting the door behind him in an audible click.

Misty watched him leave in a wince before turning and further consoling the young boy in a frown.

"Shh; it's all right. I'm here." she whispered down to him.

For some reason she couldn't place on, she had a morbid feeling.

_**2**_

"Aaaaaand here he is! Future Champion of Kanto, Johto and that Sinnoh place it's Steveeeeeeeeen MURRAY!" the red capped boy grinned aloud as he walked down the stairs from his room in the Vermilion Inn, leaping down the stairs coolly as he did so, his Wartortle sliding down the banister as it followed him before landing and striking a grinning pose.

Misty and Bill turned from their conversation to find the young boy at the foot of the stairs and smiled over at him. Earlier she had left him to dress himself once he had calmed down a little but now to see him recovered so early and quickly…

She wondered if he had just _repressed_ that dream.

Just like _Lavender Town_…

"Yo!" the Pallet bound Trainer in question grinned as he flipped his cap up with his thumb in recognition as he turned to his right. Accompanied by his Wartortle he stalked on over to pull up a chair and sit across from the smiling Misty.

"Feeling better?" she asked as he plonked himself down and he blinked at her.

"Yeah I feel fine." he shrugged in an unknowing frown. "Why?" he asked.

Misty blinked over at him.

"Just _ten minutes ago_ you-" she began in a slightly peeved tone however Bill came to the rescue once more and grinned uncertainly as he did so.

"Yo Stevie boy! Hope you're hungry!" he grinned as he walked over with the frying pan and emptied some of its contents onto the ceramic plate in front of him. Steven pouted up at him before pointing an accusing finger up at the former Administrator.

"That's Overlord of Kanto to you!" he shot back and Bill laughed before slapping him a friendly one over the shoulder, leaving him recoiling. Steven grumbled once childishly but seemed to let it go thankfully before he blinked up at the frowning Misty. "Sorry what was it? Ten minutes ago I was what?" he asked in a curious blink and Misty sighed as she shook her head.

"Nothing," she admitted and the boy shrugged before grinning as he leant over to appreciate his breakfast.

"Ooh this is goin' straight into the stomach." he grinned before he heard whining beneath him. The Trainer blinked and turned to find his Wartortle looking up imploringly through its wide, chestnut auburn eyes. He groaned. "Oh all right, all right!" he grumbled before spearing part of a sausage and lowering it for his Wartortle to eat off of. The Trainer scowled lightly as he placed his left cheek in his left palm, resting his left elbow on the table in front of him as he listened to his Pokémon chew. "Frickin' Wartortle." he mumbled.

Misty couldn't help but break into a smile as she watched him, her chin lowered into her elbowed resting palms. Steven caught her stare and frowned over at her in a curious blink.

"Uh?" he simply grunted over and she merely shook her head. "Mm." he murmured in his throat as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously and returned to his breakfast once his Wartortle had finished. He rose up his fork and smiled lightly at the prospect of eating the rest of his meal in peace however that dream was shattered when he noticed the long drooling spot left by his Pokémon on the fork.

His face blanched instantly and he turned his head slowly to glare down at his frowning Wartortle. It cocked its head to the side as if to question his black look but before the Trainer could leap down and bash his Pokémon a thousand colours, Bill once again came to the rescue with a spare fork.

"Here." he chuckled as he did so and Steven merely pouted in a weak growl as he returned his former fork to the cooking young man before continuing on his breakfast this time with a smile.

However when he looked back down at his plate he blinked and found it gone.

"Oh you're _kidding_." he murmured before his amazement slowly turned to anger. He turned his glare – this one even fiercer – on the Wartortle standing next to him. The Water Type in question stood up straight and frowned up at him with big, wide eyes. A strip of bacon, albeit small, hung out of its mouth and Steven's red eyes narrowed dangerously as he caught sight of it. The Wartortle's eyes snapped down before it suddenly sucked the remains into its mouth, presumably to join the rest of its breakfast.

Before the young boy could leap off his chair however and attack the Water Type, a red translucent light shot on through from the table and catching the wide eyed and frowning Wartortle it covered it also in the crimson light. As the Wartortle realised just what was going on it gave its trainer a trollish grin before it suddenly turned into red light itself, following the light's retreat into a Poké ball. Steven traced the light in his angered pouting scowl before blinking as he found the smiling Misty gripping his Poké ball with her left hand, her other supporting her cheek.

His scowl retreated in favour of a pout however and he drooped his eyes over at her. She threw him the sphere and he caught it wordlessly before she raised herself.

"Come on; we'll grab somethin' on the way," the former Gym Leader grinned lightly as she stood up from the table and latching onto his arm she pulled the protesting young boy away from the table.

"Hey!" he exclaimed indignantly as he edged a free hand forth to catch some of the sizzling food cooked by Bill ahead of him however vainly an attempt.

"Where you guys goin'?" Bill called over his shoulder as he frowned, turning around lightly to show his frilly pink apron.

Steven actually had to suppress a laugh as he just realised it.

"Just for a walk; you comin'?" she called and he winced at her.

"Gotta finish washing for Natalie!" he replied back and Steven raised a brown eyebrow as he listened.

Who was-?

Oh yeah!

His lip upturned lightly as he realised his intentions.

"Go man, go!" Steven shot over in his grin as he pumped his fist in the air for effect. Bill caught his show of exuberance in an embarrassed wince and smile as he cleaned the dishes in a sink not far away.

"Come on!" Misty sighed as she rolled her eyes, pulling him further ahead with a sighing roll of her eyes. He yelped as they exited the front door of the Inn and turned a corner out into Vermilion's streets.

_**3**_

"Look! Isn't it gorgeous?" she gushed madly as she smiled openly at the many shops on show, the groaning and wincing Steven following close behind involuntarily; latched onto her arm.

"Can't we just go back to the Inn and make out?" he moaned and the red head snapped her head around in a monstrous scowl almost immediately before bashing him on the head and huffing as she turned her heel on him and walked off.

"Ow!" Steven exclaimed pathetically as he gripped at his head now with full control of his arms. However he quickly realised Misty's sudden retreat and grinned as he did so.

Knew it would work!

Of course he would never _really_ make out with Misty.

Man she was _way_ too scrawny!

Okay so maybe she had an okay face…

But pf! He could do _WAY_ better than her!

Like those sisters of hers… Oh yeah, he thought to himself in a grin. Then his grin quickly faded as he realised how badly they disliked him.

He shrugged.

On to the next one!

And just as he turned he found one.

He couldn't believe it!

Aw man!

A young woman ahead of him stood with her back to him and smiled down at the Vermilion water near by the harbour. She wore a simple bikini and had her long brown hair up in a neat ponytail which indicated her Trainer Class as a Swimmer.

But Trainer Classes was the _last_ thing on his mind right now.

He jogged forward before coming to a close behind the young woman, stopping dead. He raised his left hand to tap the young woman on her shoulder, thereby alerting her to turn around in a curious blink. Steven folded his arms and grinned up at her and she raised a brown eyebrow at him.

"Yes?" she simply asked.

"I know what you're thinkin'." he claimed automatically and the woman blinked down at him in silent wonder. His grin grew and he shut one of his eyes as he turned his head in a show of the right side of his face as if it were to be put up on stage. "And to answer your question; yes! I _am_ available!" the Trainer grinned overconfidently and the woman blinked lightly once more as she pulled her face back just half a yard away in pure surprise before she gained a gradual grin.

What was so funny, he thought?

"Sorry kid. Maybe in a few years' time," she grinned at him before turning around and leaping down into the Vermilion harbour's sea, splashing in as she did so. Steven stared after her in a purely shocked expression, eyes widened and all.

"Hey!" he called after her indignantly before slowly turning his shock into an angered scowl. The angry Trainer turned his heel on the woman and stomped off in a fashion similar to his companion Misty.

What was _that_ all about?

As if he wasn't the best lookin' guy she could have bagged! Oh please!

Probably one of those lesbian things Kevin told him about!

He began to feel better about the situation when that possibility entered his head and he smiled as it did, straightening himself up some.

Yeah!

After all no real woman could handle _his_ charms and stay straight for long.

He was _just_ that manly!

"Oh well." he murmured as he looked over the rest of the talent showing itself near Vermilion beach. Finding none worth pursuing _(or out of pure laziness) _he turned and headed back, presumably for his missing companion Misty however just as he did so the boy gasped as he caught sight of the huge sign above the building;

'_GYM'_

Well that was obvious enough.

He slowly gained a grin and fingering the Poké balls at his belt his excitement grew.

"Heh, heh, heh." he grinned to himself in silent knowing of his next victory, the same knowing feeling deep in his gut calling out to him.

He walked through the Gym's automatic doors…

"Well!" Natalie grinned as she stood in the main door's frame. Bill ahead of her cringed as he suddenly tripped on his own feet, dropping the plates he carried in his arms. He gasped as he watched them fall but turned his body around in quick agility to slam his back down on the ground and catch the falling plates.

Luckily they bounced on his chest harmlessly; he blew out a sigh in relief.

Once he figured he was completely safe he rose up his head and smiled at the Innkeeper. "Morning Miss!" he greeted casually in spite of his current form, smiling up at her. She smiled back in an eyebrow raising expression, as if she were calculating his mannerisms.

Probably lamenting how she left him in charge of _anything_ Bill thought in a worrying wince.

She walked over; set the grocery bag she carried in her arms on the table and continued over to him. She crouched down in front of him and smiled down at him, tucking some of her silky brown hair back behind her ear as she did so.

"Need a hand?" she asked in a raise of her eyebrow and Bill only laughed.

"Nah I'm fine!" he laughed in response but she rolled her eyes and took the plates off his belly and placed them securely and safely on the table behind her.

"You really need to watch what you're doing." the woman claimed in an amiable smile as she stood above him, arms on her hips as she did so. The young man below her only grinned in embarrassment back before taking the hand she offered to stand back up. "So where are your little friends?" she probed further in a raised eyebrow and Bill smiled back.

"Last I heard from 'em they were takin' a walk 'round Vermilion," the Administrator smiled in his explanation as he took the neatly stacked plates and moved them away safely to one of the cupboards behind and above him.

"Well." Natalie began in a slow gaining grin. "What say we join them?" she asked and Bill turned his head in a surprised blink.

"W-Well don't you have your-"

"I'm sure the Inn can function for a few hours without me," the woman claimed as she gestured her head behind her and out the door.

Bill didn't need telling twice.

The Administrator couldn't keep the grin from his face as he yanked off the washing up gloves and apron he wore before jogging forward to join her.

_**4**_

"Ready… for the Thunder Badge?" the young Steven smirked down at his Wartortle at his side whom turned its head up at its Trainer to fist the air confidently. Steven laughed. "One more step to the ICL itself!" the fisted the air also in his confident whoop.

"Excuse me!" a voice suddenly interrupted and Steven yelled in surprise as he snapped his head 'round. Sure enough a smiling man stood at the door's right – and his – side. He wore a simple white T-Shirt around his chubby body and long cargo trousers and carried black coloured sunglasses. "This your first Gym Challenge?" he asked in a smile as he joined his hands behind him and Steven scoffed.

"Pf!" he shot back and the man's grin fell from his face. "Imma EXPERT at Gym Battles!" the arrogant young boy claimed back as he edged an overconfident thumb against his chest.

"I'll bet, I'll bet." the man chuckled back in an agreeing nod, his good humour returned. "So I take it you don't need any advice from me?"

"Huh?" the boy blinked stupidly.

The man frowned. "I'm the new Advice Employee; I give Gym Challengers some advice free of charge for their Gym Battle,"

Steven scoffed once more. "Ha! You hear me little man?" the young boy grinned rudely back as he folded his arms as leaned his body forward, his Wartortle imitating his actions. "There ain't _no_ way this stud's a dud," he claimed in his audacious bragging, even edging another double thumb to his chest. His Wartortle of course followed him closely. The sunglasses wearing man only face palmed and chuckled lowly at him in an inaudible tone before raising his head and smiling once more.

"Well have fun!" he offered and Steven smirked as he issued the man a wink and finger gun. He clicked his tongue at him as he did so.

"I'll bring ya back somethin' nice!" he shot over before turning and heading off forward for the Gym Leader in question. The man at the door's side attempted hard to hold in a laugh but it seemed inevitable and he ran out the electric, automatic doors to burst.

Steven of course remained oblivious.

The red capped boy grinned and narrowed his red eyes as he walked down in a straight line to find trash cans littering around the area. He looked down at them all and blinked.

Serious trash problems.

Lol well!

The boy affixed his red and white jacket before walking further down. Plagued by an empty Gym and no traps _(which to be honest even _he_ expected)_ the boy was just a little let down.

JUST A MINISCULE OF AN IOTA

However just as the boy began to lose hope there he was; the presumed Gym Leader himself dead ahead. He stood over hunched and seemed to be engaged in a strange task of a needed and pure attention span. Steven narrowed his red eyes suspiciously; he recognised that man.

But from _where?_

The muscles on his back seemed to hide a lot more beneath his hunched state and he wore a simple army like shirt with matching cargo trousers.

No he was sure he knew this man.

But… _who?_

"Yo!" Steven called in narrowed eyes as he raised an arm in greeting and frowned as he walked forward. "You the Leader?" he asked directly and simply; he preferred being 'to the point about things', much easier that way he surmised.

Fortunately the man agreed with him.

He turned his head around in a blink and Steven saw his hairstyle; a short cropped and spiky blonde.

He gasped in recognition; of course!

"You!" the young boy and beefy man exclaimed simultaneously as they thrust an accusing finger at each other.

The supposed 'Lieutenant' Surge from the Saint SS. Anne ship!

"What are you doin' here? I'm lookin' for the Leader!" the boy exclaimed up angrily as he thrust his finger further forward as if to ward off the Electric Type specialist.

"I _am_ the frickin' Gym Leader ya half wit!" the beefy man shot back in an angered scowl and Steven gasped in widening his red eyes as he was told so. Surge's smirk slowly regained anew and he folded his arms as he did so. "You ain't winnin' a _second_ time kid," the army veteran shot down at him in a quiet, almost threatening whisper.

But Steven saw it; the chance to win in his red eyes. Why? He didn't know. But just as with Brock and Misty… he knew it was there.

He _knew_ he could win and so his confidence grew once more.

Steven's own smirk returned as he slowly rose up his Wartortle's empty Poké ball to point it directly at the watching Surge. "Willin' to test that?" he shot up quietly back at the large man whom only slowly grinned back, growing across his face as he did so.

"All right kid." the man nodded, conceding with a knowing grin before turning and gesturing his head forward and out the main doors of the Vermilion Gym. "Come on." he called and Steven lowered the sphere in his hand, narrowing his eyes suspiciously but conceded anyway, running forward with his Wartortle to catch up.

Sure enough when they exited, the town itself had cleared a huge route up ahead of themselves and the citizens of the town had all fled to the sidelines in a humongous line as if spectators at some kind of show. Steven had to widen his crimson eyes at the showing ahead of him but a grinning usher from the watching Surge crackled the impatient boy back to life and he jogged forward to meet up with the supposed Gym Leader, joined by his exuberant Water Type.

"All right kid; take your spot," Surge ordered in his grin as he stood across from the boy in folded arms. Steven blinked and looked around to his gesture; sure enough there was a circle pad to start from on his left and on his right lay a long track harrowed by raised picket like fences that seemed to act as hurdles of some kind. He narrowed his red orbed eyes suspiciously once more and made to ask Surge on the rules of such a challenge.

All of a sudden no less!

"But what do I do to-"

"Sorry kid you had your chance with the Advice Guy at the front of the Gym; too bad." he smirked back and Steven blinked before growling in narrowed eyes.

Fine!

He'd win _without _it!

He briefly glanced at Surge's stance and with the grinning Raichu at his side readying for a sprint he quickly realised this was a race of some kind.

With a Pokémon of choice of course.

In that case he should stick with Wartortle; give him a little surprise he thought in another grin.

"It has been a long ten years since our well prestige Gym Leader of Vermilion has even received a challenger for his Gym!" a man exclaimed out suddenly via microphone. Steven gasped and turned his head around as he did so. The announcer maybe? "Ever since his titanic battle with the Mafia leader Giovanni Vittorio and his saving of our fair land and city, no challenger has even had the _gall_ to approach Lieutenant Surge in sheer fear!" the man shouted through his microphone and Steven rolled his eyes.

Oh yeah; _fear_.

Such a big, scary, macho man! He thought in grinning sarcasm.

"Until last night!" the well dressed man grinned as he switched himself around in a grin and raised his index finger as if to punctuate the sheer amazing nature of such a discovery. "In one of his annual parties aboard the Saint SS Anne our prestige Lieutenant Surge held a small but entertaining Pokémon Knockout Battling Tournament approved by the ICL!" the man explained out with and Steven rolled his eyes again.

God _shut up_ he thought.

What was he, president of his _fan club_ or something?

"And once again coming out on top, our prestige Lieutenant Surge won once again!" the man shouted out and shot his arms up in a grinning whoop, eliciting the watching audience to follow with, giving the Lieutenant himself a yell of glory. The army veteran smirked as he dusted himself off arrogantly and Steven's annoyance grew.

Like he deserved it!

That should have been _him_ right there!

Don't worry; it will be, he thought in a slowly growing grin.

As soon as the noise died down _(thank GOD Steven thought)_ the man continued, this time in a hushed tone, as if it were a secret for none to hear. "But for the first time in ten years our prestige Lieutenant Surge received a challenge from a young boy on the Saint SS Anne after his victory!" he whispered out the microphone and Steven's grin slowly grew.

Oh yeah! Here we go!

"And for the first time in a grand total of ten glorified years has our prestige Lieutenant Surge ever actually had a close battle let alone _lost_ one!" he whispered once more and the audience gasped as if the whole thing was a drama and Steven – once again – had to roll his eyes.

_Jeez_.

"The honour goes to our new Gym Challenger in over a _decade!_ Steven Murray!" the man grinned now as he turned his head and gestured forth towards the taken aback young boy in question. To his surprise the audience all let out exclaiming yells along with the man and he slowly gained a grin as they did so. The announcer grinned as he walked forward and shoved the microphone abruptly in the boy's face. "Tell us Mr. Murray how does it feel to be facing the only man ever to have escaped battle with the one and only Giovanni Vittorio alive and well?" the announcer asked as he hovered the microphone over his guest's mouth. Steven blinked in wonder.

"Uhhh," he murmured out stupidly and the announcer grinned as he yanked back the device and pulled it closer to his own mouth, standing up once again and turning to face the watching crowd.

"I agree! I couldn't hope to defeat him a second time, if ever!" the announcer grinned and waved and the audience all whooped in agreed excitement. Steven scowled up at the announcer in annoyance before catching the grinning glance from his opponent. He turned his brown haired head over to glare back and received only a narrow eyed smirk before the army veteran turned his head back to face the crowd once more. "And now for today's Gym Match our young challenger must brave across an obstacle course designed by our very own prestige Lieutenant Surge!" the man yelled out and the crowd all yelled along with him. Surge grinned and waved at the admiring audience.

Steven rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time; ugh!

"First our contestants must sprint the one hundred metre dash riddled with hurdles and traps." the announcer began as he walked across the track itself, frowning as he pointed down and across before finally stopping and pointing up towards the conveniently placed plasma HD television screen suspended on the Gym's building behind them all. A presumed cameraman moved across the track before coming across an opening into a Pokémon viable route.

"Wait a minute." Steven murmured in his narrowed, red eyes as he looked over the landscape of the area, finding it familiar somehow.

"And then they must brave across the wild Pokémon infested Route Eleven! They must find the quickest and by far the _least_ energy consumed way out of this small forest!" the man claimed out with and the crowd all gave appreciate 'ooh's and 'aah's. Steven himself growled and narrowed his eyes.

What a _drag!_

"After crossing Route Eleven our contestants must enter a bike race and beat the pier of Route Twelve!" the man announced in a grin as he gestured forth towards the television screen. "From the many wild Water Type Pokémon that leap out at you and of course our stealthily placed Pokémon Trainers they'll have a hard time evading _any_ of that!" the man grinned and the audience gave worried looks, some of them grins. Steven snorted.

Big deal, he thought.

"And finally at Routes Thirteen, Fourteen and Fifteen?" the announcer began and watched for a few seconds as the cameraman quickly warped across the Routes in question before it suddenly blanked out, giving no receiver whatsoever. "You'll have to find out for yourselves." the man grinned in finality and Surge turned around with a grin of his own in place. Steven joined the audience in a disappointed groan, pout and folding of his own arms. "Now contestants; are you both ready?" the announcer called out suddenly as he turned his head.

Surge nodded in his manly grin and Steven blinked to action before readying himself to sprint and bending low he smirked back in his own grin. The two newly found rivals glared at each other in a brief glance before the announcer slowly rose up a firing pistol. "Be ready!" he shouted out and the two Trainers and their Pokémon all raised their lower bodies upward, bending down and resting their fingers on the ground. Steven exchanged a quick confident nod with his watching Wartortle. "Begin!" he exclaimed out and fired off a round from his pistol.

Steven and Surge were off in a flash.

Suddenly Steven was aware of the major age and muscle difference between the two but it was too late to make any kind of complaint. With narrowed eyes he upped his speed as far as he could and made sure his Wartortle was next to him. Sure enough it was and he grinned as he turned his head, running past the yelling crowd at his right side. With the first hurdle in his way he comfortably leapt in a forward jump over the hurdle with an exerted grunt. He landed with a grin and exchanged a confident thumbs up with his Wartortle as he did so.

The red capped boy saw his next hurdle coming and narrowed his eyes at the raised height. With an idea in mind he grinned as he lowered his head and ran on through, eyes narrowed. Just as the crowd exclaimed with numerous gasps in widened eyes at his own seeming idiocy the young boy managed to surprise them all with a lowered skid and grin. His Wartortle followed him and he raised his arms upward as if he were holding a trophy, skidding _under_ the high hurdle with his small form. The ground's sand kicked up as he passed under the hurdle and he slapped the ground hard with his arms to raise himself quickly, his Wartortle flipping up athletically. Steven chanced a turn of his head to watch his opponent's progress and growled in disappointment; he was _still_ ahead of him. All right then; turn it up a notch!

The young boy reached further deep into his stamina reserves and turned his gradual growl into a higher yell as he did so. However the boy managed to unknowingly trip a wire of some kind at his feet and he gasped as he did so, eyes snapping around his position everywhere around him. He couldn't seem to find anything but just as he readied to give himself up to looking for it, he squealed as he caught sight of the dirty great, huge wooden log racing for him dead on.

"What do I do, what I do I-" he squeaked before gasping as another idea quickly leapt at his mind. With that in thought he called back his Wartortle and yanked out Nidorino's Poké ball before throwing it forward desperately and as quickly as he could. "Go, go, _go!_" he yelled out with a worried grit toothed expression. Sure enough the Poison Type in question exploded out of its spherical resting place, horn forward in attacking mode and its own eyes narrowed. Steven continued to sprint forward and watched with desperate, widened eyes but sure enough his Nidorino forced its horn forward in a physical Horn Attack.

Against all odds, the Poison Type's horn cut through the wooden log in a long and serrated strike, sending the now halved sides of the log safely clattering to the ground. Steven grinned and laughed as he snapped his fingers in his run but quickly realising his Nidorino's current dilemma he upped his pace once again and leapt forward. The Pallet bound Trainer grunted in a narrow eyed scowl as he caught the wide eyed Nidorino before turning his leap into a recovering, forward roll, returning to his sprinting pace with his Pokémon in his arms.

All right good! What's next, he thought.

Wait! Route Eleven!

Sure enough the boy and his Pokémon soon entered the stated Route itself rightly nicknamed as 'The Small Forest'. He narrowed his eyes and fatigue soon began to feel fatigue growing on him. Allowing his Nidorino to leap down and run with him he reached into his jacket pocket on his right to pull out the bottle of Fresh Water Misty had handed him earlier. Bringing it to his lips he downed a considerable amount in closed eyes as he ran before turning and offering some to his partner. The Poison Type snapped its eyes up and leapt as its master squeezed the bottle's contents in a stream of water down into the Pokémon's mouth. It grinned appreciatively and resumed its run with its Trainer whom quickly threw the used bottle away.

A Pokémon's exclamation however made the boy gasp and snap his head around; couldn't find it.

What _now?_

A wild Pokémon?

Sure enough as if to answer his silent dreads, a _flock_, not _one_, not even _two_, but a _flock_ of wild Spearow leapt up at him from the long grass ahead of him. He gasped in worried, widened eyes, almost even halting his run. Thankfully another idea lighted in his mind and he narrowed his eyes as he quickly called back his Nidorino. Reaching on his belt he pulled out his next two Poké balls to be used and grunted as he threw it forward.

"Rain Dance and Thundershock!" he yelled out in his order. Sure enough his Wartortle and Jolteon both exploded out of their respective spheres and did as ordered but Steven was thankfully swift enough to call back his Wartortle in time before his Jolteon attacked with its Thundershock attack. The Electric Type growled as it called the electricity down to attack a single Spearow successfully fainting it and sending it back where it came from, however the Rain Dance in effect had successfully ricocheted the lightning across the numerous Spearow that attacked. They all screeched in the Supereffective attack and fell back from their supposedly strong flying march and Steven grinned as he watched his Jolteon recover in a graceful land, joining him in his run.

The red capped boy grinned as he reached the exit to Route Eleven and into Route Twelve. This was the one with the wild Water Style Pokémon and the Trainers that waited for him; okay… he'd have to watch himself here but be quick while doing it.

No matter how he looked at it that might even be difficult.

He snapped his head over to his left and saw the running Surge leap on a bike provided with his Raichu, grinning back at the boy as he sped off and Steven growled in his growing annoyance. Speeding up he also leapt on the bike provided for himself, joined by his exclaiming Jolteon. With all the travelling he had managed so far with Bill and Misty he grinned as he felt little stamina loss as he speeded forth with his bike, his Jolteon resting on his left shoulder as he did so.

Following the arrow signs posted he narrowed his eyes as he swiftly rounded his bike around to his right, following the wooden pier down. His bike's wheels gave off a rickety sound as he passed them across the wooden surface of the pier and he giggled like a school girl at the simple sound before swiftly reverting to a serious pout.

No!

Time for giggling later!

As if to wake him up from his day dreaming a narrow eyed Tentacool leapt out at him from his left eyes narrowed and threatening. With a confident grin however he ordered his Jolteon to zap the Tentacool with another swift Thundershock, sending it fainted and packing back to the water. He fist pumped the air with a confident whoop before continuing on. Twisting his bike around the many turns involved he narrowed his eyes as he concentrated hard, watching for any Trainers, wild Pokémon or his opponent himself.

He could still see him now; biking it on the pier across from his. The Lieutenant turned his head with a grin as if to further enrage the young boy, a Magnemite perched on his shoulder. Steven snapped his head back around in an annoyed scowl, eyes narrowed once more and concentration returned. He quickly caught another sign ahead of him and kept his eyes narrowed as he turned his bike around to his right.

Then nearly fell off it.

He gasped in shocked, widened eyes as a huge monstrosity of a creature blocked his way. It spread itself out and its huge chest seemed to rise and fall with visible, steady breathing, signalling it was alive.

Was it a _Pokémon?_

"Damn!" Steven exclaimed out and leapt off his bike before he attempted to pummel the Pokémon ahead of him.

Just when he thought he was _ahead_ of Surge!

"Argh!" Steven yelled out in angered exasperation as he pummelled his fists against the monster's huge stomach, repelled with a harmless bounce. Sure enough to _add_ to his growing misery the narrow eyed Lieutenant Surge skid his bike across the pier next to him and stopped.

Oh _great_.

"The hell is _that?_" he blinked out in surprise, watching up at the huge Pokémon.

"If you'll shut up I'll check!" Steven snapped back in growing anger. The Electric Type Gym Leader narrowed his eyes in anger at the boy but nevertheless waited patiently as the boy yanked out his Pokédex Version I. He quickly scanned the monster with the lens of the device and pulled it back with narrowed red eyes to check, Surge with a raised eyebrow over his shoulder.

_#143 Snorlax_

_It is not satisfied unless it eats over 880 pounds of food every day. When it is done eating, it goes promptly to sleep._

Steven's crimson eyes bugged themselves out of his head in shock at the Pokédex's claim but shook it off and scowled.

Whatever!

"Attack! Use Double Kick!" he yelled and threw out his Nidorino. It was a Normal Type so Fighting Type attacks should weaken it! His Poison Type Pokémon leapt out of its sphere once more and growled as it slammed its two feet in a Double Kick attack, successfully connecting and Steven grinned as he slammed his elbow into the air below it. "Yes!" he whispered before bringing out an empty Great Ball he had purchased earlier.

Thank Mew he got one!

However as his Nidorino pulled back in a recovery leap he quickly surmised that the snoring lummox was barely affected by the attack if at all.

"You're _kiddin'_ me!" the boy yelled out in an angry scowl.

"Watch and learn kid." Surge grinned and sent forth his Magnemite. "Go!" he yelled and the Steel and Electric dual Type did so, floating over quickly. "Thundershock it!" the man exclaimed. The Pokémon called its Thundershock attack on the slumbering Snorlax and just as before it gave off a single, little twitch before falling back to sleep again.

Surge needless to say turned his confident grin into a shocked scowl.

Steven smirked, folded his arms and leaned up towards the Gym Leader smugly. He caught it and growled back down at him. "I'm just gettin' started!" he yelled down at the boy before yanking out a Poké ball and shooting it forwards at the sleeping Pokémon ahead of him. The sphere exploded and out shot forth a narrow eyed Pokémon that looked almost exactly _like_ a Poké ball. Steven blinked. "Voltorb! Selfdestruct!" he laughed out loud and Steven's red eyes widened once more.

Oh no.

He was _joking_.

"Get back!" Steven yelled over at his Nidorino and called back his Jolteon to its Poké ball as he did so. He yanked his bike over and squealed as he leapt forward to hide from the oncoming blast. Sure enough the spherical Pokémon mechanically screeched out its name before exploding on order, encompassing the madly laughing Surge.

Time passed and Steven shifted his eyes around worriedly but raised himself on the pier as he did so, turning his head around. Sure enough the Snorlax was still lumbering away like a log and Surge himself was caked in soot, eyes widened as he stood. His Voltorb ahead of him lied unconscious from fainting and Steven folded his arms as he sighed, eyes drooped.

How would he _do_ this?

"I came as soon as I heard!" Bill exclaimed as he stopped in his fatigue, a blinking Natalie at his side. Misty smiled at her and nodded down at Bill. "How's he doin'?"

"Surprisingly well!" the former Cerulean Gym Leader smiled at him before turning her head up behind her to the large HD television screen provided for the watching audience. On screen was a yelling Surge and Steven as they threw their Pokémon at the sleeping monstrosity blocking their paths. "I just wish he'd _told_ us sooner," she finished however in a disapproving murmur.

"You know Steve," Bill chuckled as he quickly recovered and stuck his hands in his pockets as he craned his neck up to watch the challenge.

"That's the strange boy that you're travelling with isn't it?" Natalie spoke out as she squinted in watching of the red capped boy. Misty snorted in a non ladylike fashion, aqua marine eyes narrowed annoyingly.

"Yeah; _strange_," she shot back in an obvious insult to the boy in question. Bill couldn't help but snigger.

"Surely he's not _all_ that bad?" the brown haired Inn Keeper smiled nervously but Bill turned his head to merely nod it back at her in his smile. "Well maybe he makes up for it by being a good Trainer?" she tried in her own sociable smile, attempting to placate things it seemed.

"Jury's still out on that one," Misty shot back in drooped, narrowed eyes as she folded her arms and frowned up at the HD television screen. Bill shook his arms at her as if to tell her to stop.

"Oh well." Natalie chuckled in a good humour smile. "I'll admit I was worried about the appearance of that Snorlax though," she stated as she smiled up at the showing and Misty turned her head.

"Snorlax?" she parroted.

Natalie nodded in her smile as she looked down at the young girl. "Yeah, it's been lazing around the Routes between Vermilion and Fuchsia City; been causing trouble for some of the passer bys." she admitted before folding her arms and narrowing her eyes up at the screen suspiciously. "I wonder if they used it as another obstacle for them…?" she wondered aloud and raised a brown eyebrow.

"Steve will do it," Bill admitted as he grinned lightly, hands in his pockets as he watched. Natalie turned in a curious blink.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked and Bill turned his head in a confident, half open mouthed grin as she did so.

"He saved my life; he and Misty both. He's a kid but he's stronger than he looks." the Administrator claimed and Natalie only raised an eyebrow. Misty smiled at being mentioned before turning her eyes on the screen, frowning once more.

"You better not have the idea I'm thinking of Steve," she thought aloud in a quiet murmur, aqua marine eyes narrowed threateningly.

_**5**_

Surge and Steven lay on their knees, spent and exhausted with their respective teams of Pokémon all in the same type of shape. After throwing every Pokémon in their team at the lazy leviathan they were still on square one with little to no results.

Unless one would call twitching and light snorting a result.

"Damn." Steven gasped aloud as he lay on the ground on his hands and knees, sweat dripping off his brow as he did so. "So… strong,"

"God I… hate Snorlax," Surge agreed as angrily as he could given his pained fatigue.

"What do we… do now?" Steven huffed over and Surge gasped as he turned his body to lie on his back, allowing the wind across his face as he did so, eyes shut.

"I'm out kid," the electric type specialist admitted and Steven growled in angry impatience.

"Rgh!" he growled out, punching the ground in frustration and kicking up dust as he did so.

Remember what Misty told him; keep a cool head. You can do this. Remember what you did with the Fearow.

Yeah!

Energy slowly returning to him, the boy narrowed his red eyes and forced himself up on his feet before bringing out his Version I Pokédex. He read on the Snorlax's article once more with narrowed, calculative eyes and murmured out the words in his head provided. Surge watched him with heavy lid eyes and gasped out his breath as he did so.

"What's the plan kid?" he huffed out but Steven remained quiet.

Don't let him know.

The Pallet bound boy kept his eyes narrowed as he swiftly removed his yellow coloured back pack and placed it on the ground with a thud. Zipping it open from the largest compartment on the top, he quickly searched through with narrow eyed fervour. Sure enough he grinned however as his hands caught the plastic wrapped dessert he was looking for and he yanked it out. Surge watched with a fatigue filled fascination and even chuckled as he caught sight of the safely wrapped cake.

"That Snorlax ain't movin' kid; not for that cake." the Gym Leader smirked behind shut eyes as he turned his head back comfortably but Steven only smirked as he stalked towards the sleeping Pokémon, back pack and bike recovered. Thinking ahead however he recalled back his own fatigued Pokémon before coming into close proximity with the lumbering log that was Snorlax. The boy grinned as he raised the wrapped cake before slowly unwrapping it under the humongous sleeper.

A few seconds passed and the Snorlax didn't seem to respond at all to the tasty looking desert. Surge laughed in response. "What did I tell ya kid; no cha-"

The huge Normal Type suddenly snorted a bigger one than previously managed and even raised its head up, its nose twitching.

"Ha!" Steven laughed in his open mouthed smirk and Surge had to stop the amazed look on his face as he watched.

The huge Pokémon groaned as it slowly but surely raised itself to the ground, causing a small earthquake for the Gym Leader and his challenger. It reached down with an oblivious smile to take the dessert from Steven's hands but he squealed and using his bike as a getaway vehicle, he pedalled forward as fast as he could. The Snorlax saw him pedal and growled in an annoyed looking pout before suddenly taking off after him, causing the ground to shake with each thunderous clap of its huge body weight.

"Damn!" Surge exclaimed in wide eyed surprise, for the first time in a long time, worry seeping into his mind. He scrambled to leap on his bike, recall his Pokémon and pursuit his pedalling opponent.

"He is so _dead,_" Misty growled through grit teeth as she watched the wide eyed and desperate Steven pedal for his life from the surprisingly quick Snorlax.

"Smart idea though!" Bill laughed as he watched, arms folded.

"Failed to think ahead though didn't he?" Natalie grinned and folded her own arms.

"That's the _last_ time I bake _anything_ for that little nerd," Misty growled angrily, eyes narrowed darkly as she gripped her back pack's straps so tightly that her nails scratched against the material.

"Aww!" Bill smiled as he looked down at the former Gym Leader. The red head snapped her head up at him angrily, as if daring him to continue. "I didn't know you cared enough to bake for him!" the Administrator grinned and Natalie had to suppress a giggle, turning her head away from the scene.

"Shut up!" Misty screeched in his face in an angered scowl before swiftly turning her head back the way. Bill blinked the saliva away from his eyes before grinning once more. He readied to open his mouth once more to continue the teasing but she seemed to foresee the possibility and quickly elbowed the young man on his groin hard. He gasped and his eyes widened as he wheezed and fell to his knees. Natalie winced but shrugged along with the livid red head.

"She did _warn_ you," the Inn Keeper sing songed but Bill still grinned as he gripped on his painful area tightly, his face twitching as he did so.

"Totally worth it…!" he gasped out before receiving another swift elbow to the face.

_**6**_

"AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!" the red capped boy screamed at the top of his lungs as he pedalled his bike fiercely, the rubber tires crunching against the ground continually as the bulky behemoth chased him mercilessly, squashing the ground in its wake.

By now the speeding Steven had managed to cross the maze like Route Thirteen _(with lucky ease considering his pursuer had only burst through the picket fences as if they were paper)_ and turn his bike into the fairly straight forward Route Fourteen. Unfortunately however this did not mean it was any less difficult to evade the huge and hungry behemoth as its way ahead was no less blockaded.

On a bright note however he did not have to worry about the tired Lieutenant Surge as he was so far behind it was a fool's errand for the man by now. Why Steven hadn't collapsed by now was beyond even the boy's notions himself; probably fear for his own life.

And a high fear it was!

The young boy's yell cut through the air like a Scyther's blade arm as he forced his fatigue away to bring more and more energy, blazing down Route Fourteen and soon entering Fifteen.

Wait!

All _right!_

He saw the finish line!

Approximately one hundred yards ahead of him and dead ahead; there it was sure enough! Countless numbers of people all littered the sidelines of the track provided ahead of him and he grinned for the first time in what seemed like ages for a sense of victory.

Snorlax's huge, pillow like arm reached down in Steven's view and the boy heard some heavy breathing close up behind him.

"EEEEEE!" Steven squealed in expanded eyes before pushing further forward on his bicycle, the sweat pouring off his brow as he did so. He yelled at the screaming crowd ahead of him and waved his arm horizontally as if to leave the area.

Luckily they seemed to take the hint.

The crowd all screamed – this time for a different reason – and quickly fled the area, moving into the small turn that led to Fuchsia City.

'Least he didn't have to worry about them!

For now let's just hope we don't get _eaten_, he thought in a weak sounding whimper as he pedalled for his life.

His fatigue was soon catching up on him however and he huffed madly as his eyes set hard on his prize; the finish line and in respect the Thunder Badge.

Almost there!

Lowering his head, shutting his eyes tightly from the stinging sweat and gritting his teeth hard he growled in a battle cry as he leaned further forward on his bike to increase speed and momentum.

His own Pokémon were spent; this relied on him now!

Not even chancing to look back he snapped open his mouth in a sudden yell and finding his energy nearly completely spent once more, the boy used his bike as a leaping pedestal to jump off of. Forgoing the unwrapped cake still in his bicycle's provided basket he yelled in his leap as he outstretched his right arm to reach for the white line that signalled for the finish however at the corner of his right eye he saw the desperate Lieutenant Surge gaining and with the same idea in mind it seemed.

Time slowed down for the young boy.

Sweat fell from his brow in gallons and his heavy breathing seemed to resonate within his ears as he slowly plummeted back down to the ground.

The sound of the Snorlax behind him ravaging away at the cake in his by now ruined bike resonated within his ears before he finally fell to the ground with a pained grunt, his body ricocheting off the ground and his wrist past the line. Surge also fell just after him and the two barely dared even breathe as they lay on the ground, waiting.

Suddenly trumpets sounded off and the two raised their heads in widened eyes to look at the large television screen provided at the end of the track. A picture of the young boy's frowning and surprised, wide eyed face stared back at them and Steven suddenly realised the trumpets were for him.

With that thought safely tucked away in his mind the red capped Trainer regained his breath anew and lay on the ground with his eyes tightly shut from his falling sweat and laid out his arms to turn around on his back.

"Yo; kid."

Barely recovered but enough to rest his body on the ground with his hands and knees he breathed heavily before slowly and shakily raising up his head to find the grinning and folded armed Lieutenant Surge standing above him. The man unfolded them however and offered the boy one of his brawny hands. Steven gasped and laughed as he took the man's hand to raise himself shakily, wincing as he did so.

His legs felt like _jelly_ after that race.

"For the first time in ten years I've lost not only a one on one Pokémon Battle but a challenge of my _own_ mind." the former Lieutenant smirked down at the boy whom only smirked open mouthed back as he stood weakly and heavily breathing all the while. "But you've shown me kid! You've shown me it's worth to open up that cranium o' mine and know more!" he grinned and Steven gave the man a thumbs up as he did so.

"Any…time," he shot back only in his fatigue and Surge laughed boomingly.

"Ya know what kid?" the large man asked as he grinned toothily down at him before lowering his large left arm in a closed fist. "You're all right!" he grinned and Steven couldn't help but grin back as he fist bumped the large man with his own closed fist. Immediately the gathered audience that watched had all erupted into deafening cheers and the announcer from previously introducing the race walked up with a proud smile to the two.

"And with that our young challenger has done what no man, woman or child has managed in the past _decade!_" the announcer exclaimed through his microphone and Steven turned his head weakly and grinned as he breathed heavily in his fatigue. "Let's hear it for our newest Certified Trainer in ten long years; Steven Murray!" the announcer grinned as he forced the named Trainer's arm up in a victory showing, eliciting the deafening cheers of the watching crowd once again. Lieutenant Surge watched with a feeling akin to rivalry respect as he folded his arms before going into his cargo trousers to bring out a box.

"So kid!" Surge called and the announcer let the boy's hand drop, allowing him to turn around in his tired grin. Surge smirked back as he opened the small box up to bring out a sparkling new badge and Steven's eyes widened.

The Thunder Badge!

"Per the ICL branded Pokémon Association and with all of its honours and achievements I permit to you… the Thunder Badge; take it kid," the large man spoke lowly down at him and lowered his open palmed left hand to reveal the badge itself in question. Steven's red eyes slowly widened once more and his grin threatened to split his face as he yanked the badge out of the man's large hand. With energy anew he leapt up and down madly as he gripped the sparkling badge tightly within his fingers.

"I _knew_ it! I did it!" he yelled out zealously as he laughed in place the crowd cheering along with him. Surge chuckled as he shook his head down at the young boy.

Misty groaned as she watched him, face palming at the scene her companion put on in front of her. "God make it _stop_," she murmured quietly as she cringed in her hands.

At her side, Bill shrugged but smiled positively. "Maybe he'll be a little more restraint next time?" the Administrator tried optimistically in a weakly smiling shrug.

As if to challenge that theory however the two watched the yelling young boy run up and kiss the many screeching young women at the side lines, holding his badge aloft in the air proudly as he did so.

"Yeah somehow I _doubt_ that." Misty sighed as she watched dejectedly, eyes drooped.

Bill and Natalie couldn't help themselves in bursting out laughing simultaneously, causing the volatile red head to groan and face palm once more.

A/N: God I love the Anime Soundtrack.


	13. The Child of Viridian's Prodigy

**Chapter 14: The Child of Viridian's Prodigy**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise as everyone obviously knows. Oh disclaimers.**

**Featured Music:**

_**"Seaside Hill – Classic Remix" – Sonic Generations OST. **__Scene __**1**__._

_**"Travelling Together 2" – Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver OST. **__Scene __**2.**_

_** "Phazon Mines" – Metroid Prime. **Scene **4. **(Second Half)_

_** Track 06 –** **Predator; Concrete Jungle OST. **Scene **5.**_

_** Track 07 – Predator; Concrete Jungle OST. **Scene **6. **(Second Half)._

_A/N: AWWW YEEAAAAH_

Lord how sad is it I'm

that_ excited my self insert just caught a Snorlax?_

_Lol well!_

_**Scene 1**_

"Evasion!" Steven shot out with in a grin as he pointed forward enthusiastically however his new Snorlax just lied there slumbering as it always did. He sweat dropped and his eyes widened as he watched his opponent laugh at him from the other side. Sure enough the Biker _(who previously introduced himself as 'Lao')_ nodded to his Koffing to continue its Tackle attack however the swift attack was thus bounced back harmlessly and it was Steven's turn to laugh. "Ain't gettin' through _that!_" the red capped boy grinned confidently as he winked at the man arrogantly, raising an angered scowl from him in response.

After previously beating the 'prestige' Lieutenant Surge in a desperate bicycle race Steven and company had gained the elusive Thunder Badge from the man himself and a second rivalry for the red capped boy. With an extra ICL Official Badge under his belt and a new partner; – the Snorlax that caused so much trouble for him before in the irony of it all – this of course was currently snoozing away.

With three ICL Recognised Badges now ready, Steven and company – under Bill's advice – had decided to travel through the nearby Diglett's Cave and Lavender Town and to travel back the way west to Celadon City via the Underground Tunnel. Now emerged and safely on Route Eight, the exuberant Pallet bound Trainer had been challenged to a Pokémon Battle by the Biker Lao.

Steven of course was winning and acting _incredibly_ arrogant while doing so.

"Winning!" Steven frowned out as he winked and gave arrogant looking finger guns to the silently seething Biker across the plains. Misty face palmed for the umpteenth time since meeting the boy in question.

"One of these days he's gonna end up dead," the former Gym Leader murmured in her ashamed feeling at even travelling with the boy.

"I'm surprised he managed to _catch_ the Snorlax in the first place," Bill chuckled as he watched, holding onto his back pack's straps as he did so.

"Well there's _something_ there if not an empty _head_." Misty growled out as she glared over at the dancing, grinning boy. She still hadn't forgiven him completely for the cake she had baked him but it seemed to all turn out well in the end.

If only for his _Snorlax_, she thought in a venomous, teeth grinding scowl.

"All right Caesar!" Steven smirked aloud as he winked and thrust a finger forward. "Headbutt attack!" he ordered in his confident smirk but as always the lazy leviathan merely slumbered away. Steven held back a groan but soon lost his smirk, sweat dropping once more. The Biker laughed once again.

"If ya can't even control your Pokémon how ya expect tah win!" the man laughed heartily, eyes shut and gripping his belly in all his hilarity. Steven growled and swiped his hand as if for further effect.

"That Koffing of yours can't even _damage_ my Snorlax so don't even try!" the red capped boy shot back in a scowl and the Biker quickly gained one of his own, halting his laughter.

"At least my Koffing has _respect!_ Your Snorlax doesn't know the _meaning_ of the word! Look; it doesn't even listen to you!" the leather jacket wearing Biker shouted over in an accusing point of his finger.

Right; that was Misty's cue!

The narrow eyed red head shot over in the blink of an eye and gripped the yelling boy under his arm pits to pull him back. With enough strength she grunted as she did so successfully, Steven's weak arms flailing forward in a vain attempt to hit the man. The Biker seemed to retain some good humour and laughed at the two, arms folded.

"Lucky your little girlfriend's holdin' ya back kid; I'd fuck you up faster than your pissy Snorlax could," Lao smirked before bursting into laughter and Steven's rage only intensified. Misty grunted as she gripped the boy and signalled for help. Bill winced but assisted nonetheless. With the two of them together, holding back the irate young boy proved to be much less difficult.

"It's not… worth it!" Misty managed to hiss in his ear as the trio struggled around in a position, Steven's anger so high he seemed incapable of listening. The Biker noticed this and grinned in victory as he recalled back his stand by Koffing, placing the Pokémon on his belt as he did so.

"Have fun suckin' hard kid! It's all you're good for!" Lao laughed as he leapt onto his huge motorcycle and sped off up the small hill on the top right into the nearby Celadon City. Steven yelled mindlessly and angrily after him in some vain attempt to hit the man but as always he failed. Once the Biker had drove off, Bill and Misty let the irate Trainer go and he growled as he dusted himself off, turning to scowl at his two friends.

"Way to let me take it like a Rattata! Thanks a lot!" Steven exclaimed in his growing annoyance, seemingly taking it out on his companions.

"If we _let_ you attack him you'd probably be hospitalised!" Misty screamed back at him in her own growing anger, forcing her face forward as if to emphasise that fact. Steven however didn't seem to register this very simple fact.

"Maybe even worse," Bill murmured in as he frowned over at the two and Misty kept her red faced scowl as she slowly nodded gravely.

"Like I would be!" Steven shot back angrily as he stood and folded his arms, raising his head higher up and sniffing down at the two as if they were common dirt. "Even _if_ that weak guy got past _me_ he'd still have Caesar to fight," he added on with an overconfident smirk as he gestured to his slowly slumbering Snorlax.

Misty's frustration at his misplaced confidence only intensified.

Her slow growl quickly escalated and she swiped the air in her angry vent as she began her angry tirade. "You _idiot!_" she shot out with suddenly and Steven's overconfident smirk soon left him, his red eyes slowly widening as if he had no way to predict the oncoming verbal assault. "Remember Surge? Remember the Saint Anne? Remember _RICK?_ You could've _DIED!_" the young red head screamed at him angrily and the red capped boy only stood in widened eyes, eyebrows lowered and arms folded as he listened. She noticed as always he didn't seem to be listening and so, her anger at her peak the Water Type specialist advanced forward menacingly before swiftly slapping his cheek hard, pulling no strength back from it.

"Oh god," Bill murmured quietly, as if to himself in a pained wince as he watched.

Even _Steven_ was taken aback by the sudden physical assault and he slowly turned his head back to find her in front of him, heavy breathing through her nose, scowling and shaking terribly. At first Steven didn't know how to respond but soon his old annoyance resurfaced in his throat and he slowly regained his scowl once more.

"Fine; I get it." the boy murmured quietly back as he narrowed his red orbed eyes at her. She could only scowl back it seemed, eyes twitching. "I don't need friends like you anyhow." he added on with a degrading scowl in her direction before turning and walking off. He knocked gently on his Snorlax's belly as he did so. "Come on Caesar!" he called but recalled the Pokémon anyway for fear of its pure laziness.

"Wait Steven!" Bill called in a wince as he rose up his arm as if to catch the young boy. He didn't seem to listen or merely just ignored the Administrator, trekking up the small hill as he entered the bounds of Celadon City.

Misty watched him leave with her shaking body turning worse every second and as soon as he was out of sight she broke down and cried. Bill winced for the umpteenth time that day already and took her in with a hug.

"Shh; calm down!" he whispered down at her and cringed as he raised his head to Celadon's direction.

Oh why did he have to make things worse like this?

"I-I'm s-sorry Bill," Misty managed to blubber out in a hiccupping sob but he smiled and shook his head down at her.

"Don't worry about it Misty; I'm sure everything'll be fine soon! It'll all work out; don't you worry!" he laughed the matter off heartily and she seemed to calm down with his kind words but…

Even _he_ didn't believe them.

_**2**_

The boy grumbled to himself as he trudged on through the large city, eyes narrowed and back hunched, his arms thrust deep in his jacket's pockets. "Me end up _dead_." he snorted out in quiet anger as he stalked through the town. He had already visited the local Pokémon Centre to restore his team's health and – by now – was on his way to make himself feel a little better.

True he felt a little _bad_ about talkin' to 'em like that…

But still!

How could Misty have that little faith in him?

Pf, he thought. Better off without her; her and that nerdy coward.

He 'rounded a corner and squinted in the distance as he saw a familiar figure. Slowly losing his scowl he gained a frown as he walked closer to the figure, soon becoming clearer into a young boy much like himself.

Oh! Ross!

Finally, someone who could _appreciate_ him.

"Yo! Ross!" Steven grinned as he turned his walk into a run, waving at the young brown haired Trainer in front of him. He had his back turned to him but he looked around all the same, his tell tale uninterested frown and droop of his eyes. Steven always remembered it when they were little. He stopped in front of the young boy and grinned at him as he folded his arms.

"Steven," he greeted in his uninterested almost monotonous frown. The young boy had his hands in his pockets casually.

"So I bet you heard!" Steven grinned over and Ross raised a brown eyebrow.

"Hm?"

"Come on! You know!" the Pallet bound boy shot back as he raised his head and winked at him overconfidently. Ross only shook his head and Steven quickly lost his smirk, his face falling as it did so. "This!" he exclaimed in annoyed impatience, yanking out his recently acquired Thunder Badge from his inside jacket to showcase. Ross raised his eyebrows though his eyes themselves were still drooped. Steven face fell; he guessed that was far as Ross came to being surprised.

"Haven't got that one yet," the Trainer admitted dully and Steven lowered his own eyebrows in surprise as he pulled his badge back.

He _hadn't?_

He had to admit; he expected his rival to be ahead of him by now.

"WEEELL you know how it is Rosso my man." Steven grinned overconfidently and raised his arms to rest behind his head care freely, shutting his eyes in an obnoxious looking pose as he did so. "Sometimes you're just great like me and sometimes you're just-"

Suddenly a badge – just like his – was thrust in his face and he blinked out of his arrogant speech. The boy blinked as he examined it; it was circular like his but had a completely different design. Around the badge were all sorts of colours; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, all joined together as if to accentuate the simple grey centre.

It looked like a _flower_.

"What's-" Steven began as he raised one of his fingers to poke the badge unintelligently.

"The Rainbow Badge." Ross frowned as he yanked the said badge back safely, pocketing it away from Steven's fingers. Steven again only blinked in response. "This city's Gym Leader had one; Erika's her name," he added on and Steven's eyes widened in recognition.

"Oh!" he exclaimed before suddenly pouting as he realised he was now only on equal terms with his rival. "Eh. I bet she was easy to beat," the boy shot back as he stuck his hands back into his pocket and looked away.

"Quite difficult actually." Ross admitted in his monotonous frown and Steven blinked back. Ross' eyes slowly turned away from Steven's own and he gained the smallest of grins as he did so. Steven blinked. Ross _never_ smiled like that let alone smiled at all since they were little. "_Very_ difficult," the boy added on in his grin before swiftly returning to his emotionless frown and drooped eyes. Steven growled back in annoyance.

"Well we'll see." he shot back in his growl and Ross raised another of his curious eyebrows. "I'll just tear through her like I did with Surge!" the boy added on, this time with a confident grin and fist through the air. Ross couldn't help but snort in a small smirk as he did so and Steven quickly lost his grin in place of an annoyed scowl once more. "Hey what's _that_ supposed to mean?" he shot back in narrowed, annoyed eyes.

"You'll see." the young boy replied only in his knowing grin as he chuckled once and Steven even blinked at him. Never had he known Ross to chuckle like that in _years_. "Oh you'll see," he added on before walking on forward, pushing past the blinking boy. Steven growled and affixed himself, dusting himself off as he did so.

"Fine!" he called after the boy indignantly. "I _will_ find out for myself!" he further called but as the boy was quickly disappearing into the large crowd he gave up and grumbled to himself as he turned on his heel, stalking on after the Gym in question, his arms back deep into his pockets. He grumbled in annoyance to himself, usually about how 'dumb' his 'supposed friends' were.

Ross included it seemed.

However he reached the large building and just as before in Vermilion was the words 'GYM' posted hugely on the structure's top front. Steven slowly regained his grin and took out his map from his jacket pocket. Sure enough it was the Celadon City Gym. He pocketed it once more and walked around to the building's front to be met with the same electronic sensor doors. He was about ready to walk in when he caught a presence to his left. He looked around in a curious blink before pulling his head back in widened eyes.

A grinning old man and a friend of his; a younger man both hid under a window and peered into the Gym, as if it were the crime of the century somehow.

What were they _looking_ at?

Maybe this Gym has some of the _strongest_ Pokémon imaginable!

Wait hold on, he recognised that guy.

"_Kevin?_" Steven called over in narrowed eyes. Sure enough the young man beside the old one turned his head and raised up before wincing and quietly ushering him to be quiet, shushing out in a whisper as he did so. Steven blinked.

Why was he so suspicious?

The Renegade narrowed his eyes and using the utmost stealth tactics he hid under the glass pane of the Gym's window as he sneaked across and as soon as it safe to stand he leapt over and pushed the wide eyed Steven back. Slamming a hand on his mouth the two disappeared into the Gym's right dark side and Kevin narrowed his eyes as he snapped his head 'round as if to watch for something. The old man had by now had disappeared as well, presumably around the other side to hide.

A young girl walked out of the Celadon Gym and narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she looked around the area. Finding nothing however she shrugged and abandoned her search, pulling herself back into the building. Kevin let out a breath of relief in a small grin as he turned back to the scowling boy before him, taking his hand off his mouth as he did so.

"Close one!" he grinned but Steven saw no humour in it.

"What _the hell_ was _that?_" the red capped boy shot back in annoyed, narrowed eyes as he pointed over towards the Gym in question. Kevin only grinned and ushered the boy closer as he walked out with a pull of his index finger. Steven raised a brown eyebrow and followed; sure enough the grinning old man was squatting underneath the glass pane window and peeping in suspiciously.

Man what was so _interesting?_

"Look at _this_," the Renegade shot over at him as he kindly stepped out of the way for the boy to admire. He blinked and walked on over however the Renegade behind him rolled his eyes before forcing him down on his knees.

"Agh!" he exclaimed out and the old man next to him shushed him angrily and as quietly as he could.

"Quiet you fool! Do you _want_ the aliens to probe your anus?" Kevin whispered down in annoyed, narrowed eyes of his own and Steven blinked in wonder as he raised his arms up in an obvious decline.

"Uh no?" he smiled cheerily up at the young man. Kevin pouted but made sure the two were under the window instead of in front of it. Now with a full_(ish)_ view of the Gym's insides he frowned and peered in curiously, feeling a little sleazy and uncomfortable at the mere feeling. He shrugged it off as much as he could however and looked in.

And then his sleazy feeling magnified by a thousand fold.

Giggling girls all littered one area as they talked to one another. They all sat on respective chairs and dabbled on blank boards propped ahead of them, paint brushes and wooden pallets in their hands as they did so.

He had to admit they were pretty cute.

But…

The boy slowly turned his face in a droop eyed and disapproving frown to find the winking Kevin and old man both grinning like mad men at him, as if they suddenly discovered a new Pokémon species of some kind.

_Man_.

"You guys are _children_," the boy shot back and the two swiftly lost their grins.

"Hey! Just 'cause you're a homo don't take it out on us!" Kevin exclaimed over but winced as he realised his own raised voice.

"Way to go a-hole!" the old man whispered in narrowed eyes at the two younger males, eliciting a wince from Kevin and rolled eyes from the folded armed Steven.

"Where's Kimberley anyway? I thought you two were together?" the red capped boy asked as he turned his head curiously. Kevin caught it with a surprised blink before troll grinning.

"I gave her some Poké Dollars so she could go play at the Game Corner and out of my hair for a little while," the Renegade explained in his trollish grin. Steven's red eyes widened and a feeling overcame him; he yanked out a pair of sunglasses out of no where before sticking them on.

"YEEEEEEAAAAAAH!" the two yelled in grins simultaneously as they high fived. The old man next to them cringed before limping away as quickly as he could 'round the corner to hide.

Sure enough the electronic doors to the Gym opened up and the same young girl from before walked on out with a curious frown. However her eyes widened and she gained a scowl in place of her frown as she caught sight of the wincing, wide eyed Kevin and the blank faced Steven.

"Oh shit," the Renegade whispered to himself in his pained cringe.

"_Perverts!_" the young girl screeched out suddenly, her voice renting the air sharply. Steven winced lightly at the mere sound of her voice but Kevin squealed and ran off as swiftly as he could, leaving the red capped boy to fend for himself it seemed.

"Yeah I'm like _twelve_; there's no logical reason you can label _me_ as a pervert." Steven shot back calmly and in drooped, almost bored looking eyes as he gestured towards himself. The young girl stopped dead in her shout but true to his expectations more of the young women all filed out to assess the damage it seemed.

Oh _lord_ he was in for it now.

If only _Misty_ was with you.

Oh shut up; she got what she deserved!

Pf so she did; all she wanted was to stop you getting beaten up and you flew off the handle as always. Excellently done kid!

Agh!

Shrugging his mental thoughts away he reassessed the current situation at hand and how to deal with it.

He could admit he was peeping in – which true, he did – and see how they take it, maybe hope they'd accept it and let him in.

Not likely though!

Oh yes us guys are _EEEEVIL _he thought in a sarcastic grin.

Or! He could give 'em the real reason as to his visit.

Oh yeah!

The boy suddenly grinned and strutted over to the folded armed and scowling girl – presumably the leader of the hostile band – hand on his hip as he grinned lowly at her.

"Gym Leader in the house?" he asked in a raised eyebrow and her scowl fell off her face as if surprised both by the confidence in his voice as well as the simple question. She turned to her many companions and winced, as if embarrassed by her scream.

As well as she should be!

"Yes." she smiled lightly over at him and he grinned back. "Follow me," she murmured with a red face and turned back into the Gym. Steven caught all the disapproving sniffs from the watching women above him and grinned back before shutting his eyes as he followed, fixing his jacket collar in an arrogant showing.

"Hmph!" he shot back, clearly uncaring of the women's looks.

As he entered the Gym however he lost his smirk and took a quick look around the area; it seemed as if a generic layout as any building. The Lass walked him walked him up to the reception desk ahead of them and leaned over to talk to the curious woman. Steven was only a little shorter than the Lass so he had to strain to see and hear the two, his red orbed eyes reaching only just above the table itself.

High table he thought.

The receptionist seemed to smile and talked a little more before waving off the Lass. She turned and smiled at the blinking Steven before walking off down a corridor to his left, leaving him at the reception.

"Excuse me!"

He blinked over to the receptionist and found her leaning over smiling down at him.

"Ja?" the young boy asked simply as he rose up one of his wrist banded arms to block the light from the strong glass lights above them.

"Are you visiting us today with an inquiry to our Gym Leader?" she asked politely and Steven gained a grin as he simply nodded positively. "All right; down to your left and the first door on the corridor's left." the woman smiled as she turned her right to her right, raising a pen holding finger to point down. Steven grinned and gave the woman a complimentary finger gun before walking down the hall, leaving the receptionist in a curious stare and blink of her eyes.

Steven hummed a little tune to himself as he walked down the hall and following the receptionist's instructions he soon found the door she had previously informed him of. With little to no manners at all, the petulant boy grinned as he swished the door open and turned his head in to scan the room.

Oh!

The same room as the art class!

So then… _why_…

"Oh hello." a voice interrupted and Steven blinked as he turned his head. A smiling young woman – perhaps in her early to mid twenties – turned over to examine the red capped boy. Fairly tall she wore a long and elegant looking gown that seemed to resemble a kimono of some kind, coloured yellow with some dark red designs of Poké balls at the bottom. She also wore some classic Japanese style brown sandals and under her kimono dress she wore an inside layer of white breeches as long as the dress itself. And finally her short, shoulder length hair was held up with a red hair band, placed at the front of her fringe and hiding beneath her bangs of black hair.

Whoa she was pretty cute, he thought in a growing grin; she blew the others in the class right out of the water.

Easy; she's lookin' this way!

He put on his best charming grin and stood in the doorway with a hand on his hip, ignoring some of the giggles he got from the others.

Pf! Like _they_ mattered anymore! His target was clear now.

"So glad you could join us today!" the black haired woman smiled over at him and Steven's grin only grew; she liked him! She walked on over and joined her hands together as she turned her head curiously and cutely. "To what may I owe this pleasure?" the young woman asked and Steven grinned as he gently took one of her hands and kissed the back of it before slowly raising his red eyes to mix with her chestnut brown ones.

"A love for art." he began slowly before his grin widened and the woman's black eyebrow rose in half amusement, half interest. "And for beautiful women," the boy added on seductively in a grin as he did so. The girls all watching him in the art class couldn't help themselves in giggling at his expense once more it seemed but the black haired teacher seemed to take it a different way.

She stared down at him with a slow grin of her own, a light – _very_ light but he caught it – shade of red adorning her cheeks as he finished his claim. Steven cheered inwardly.

First time it worked!

She seemed to gulp down some saliva before opening her mouth to address the boy and introduce herself. "My name is Erika and I am the teacher of this art class." she gave claim and smiled as she did so. "Would you like to join?" she asked and raised a black eyebrow. Steven grinned confidently back.

"Thought you'd _never_ ask," he shot back before rushing over suddenly to the unoccupied seat nearest to him. Deciding to take the one at the back near the window he grinned as he thought of showcasing to the watching Kevin and old man.

See 'em droolin'!

"Wait just a minute!" Erika's voice called and Steven stopped in a surprised blink, turning his head around to meet the teacher's. "You are our model for today's lesson; didn't you know?" the young woman asked in a raise of her eyebrow and Steven's eyes widened instantly as he heard her words. He turned his head to find the young girls all watching him in a suggestive grin.

She was _bluffing_.

"You don't mean…" he began uncertainly in a narrow eyed frown as he pointed to the small pedestal in the middle of the room and Erika only grinned as she nodded.

Oh _man_.

"Our model today has been sick and so we are in need of one," she simply stated and Steven's face blanched instantly.

She wasn't kidding.

One more look at the grins all around made him cringe but soon he realised something; the simple _interest_ they had. A grin soon encompassed his face as he realised their interest in his form.

He couldn't blame 'em to be honest!

And hey! Why should he deprave them it? Especially when he was called up to challenge.

The boy kept his smarmy grin on his face as he raised his face to respond to the young woman…

_**3**_

Kimberley growled as she lost another set of three coins to the machine in front of her. Regardless however she restocked the machine with another set of three coins that she purchased previously with the use of her boyfriend's Poké Dollars of course.

She was just _sick_ of losing.

She had a sneaking suspicion that this Game Corner was scamming people out of their money.

Figures _she'd_ get dragged into it.

Wait!

_Ding, ding, ding!_

Her blue eyes lit up and she gasped in an open mouthed smile as the machine in front of her belled away.

She won!

"All _right!_" she squeaked in a grin, punching the air happily and enthusiastically.

"Excellently done! Miss…?" a voice interrupted and the young girl turned her head around to her left in a surprised blink. A suit wearing man stood above her with a camera crew behind him, a microphone in his hand.

Oh!

"Uh… Corner…" she began in a wince as the Game Corner's name was the first idea in her head. The man raised an inquisitive eyebrow down at her. "Cornerstone!" she finished in a grin, an obvious fake name. "Jane Cornerstone," she gave claim to and the man's smile returned once more.

"How does it feel to win Celadon's Game Corner in Kanto and win over one hundred thousand Poké Dollars?" he asked in his smile, speaking into the microphone before lowering it for her usage. She readied to respond in her grin before his words fully sunk in; her eyes slowly widened and her grin left her in place of a dumbstruck frown.

"Whu-" she began in widened eyes. "One _th-thousand?_" she merely whispered in the microphone and the interview smiled as he nodded and brought the device back to him.

"That's right Miss Cornerstone; how do you feel?" the man smiled down at her before lowering the microphone once more. Her grin – this time almost a _malignant_ one – returned in slow, full view. She reached over and yanked the microphone from his hands before speaking into it.

Though 'shouting' would be more accurate.

"WOOOOOOOOOO!" Kimberley exclaimed through the microphone and the camera crew men all cringed as her scream invaded their ears painfully. The unruly youth leapt on top of the still ploughing money machine and laughed madly. "I'M RICH!" she proclaimed euphorically, nearby cackling as she did so. "I'M SO FUCKING RIIIIICH!" she yelled out almost psychotically as she cackled and the interviewer winced as he made a cut throat gesture to the camera men. Obviously it seemed he wanted some kind of edit to her wording. However before the young girl could continue her profanity filled yelling the interviewer laughed and brought her down but not without a disappointed frown.

He plucked the microphone from her gloved hands and smiled down at her. "Well young lady it's clear to see you're happy about this win!" he smiled and hovered the microphone over her mouth. She composed herself, joining her white gloved hands behind her body as she leaned in to respond.

She cleared her throat before speaking. "Yes," she admitted in a sweet smile, the perfect picture of a well mannered young girl and a complete contrast to the depiction earlier. The other players at the Celadon Game Corner all laughed at the response as did the interviewer.

"Well I better not keep you from claiming your prize! These two kind men here will escort you to your one hundred thousand Poké Dollars," the interviewer smiled as he gestured forth to the two suited up men frowning down at her, suddenly in view. She raised a brown eyebrow and turned.

"But what about-"

"Don't worry Miss Cornerstone; the staff here at Celadon Game Corner will package you your winnings here and hand you them when you leave." the man assured her in his smile. She made to walk over and take the winnings away, untrusting of the Game Corner's staff however the interviewer quickly gained a frown on his face and stood in her way. She blinked up at him and the two men behind her quickly grabbed her arms and pulled her away. The young girl gasped and made to grab for her Poké balls at her belt but quickly surmised a battle with the numerous innocents currently in the Game Corner would achieve little and only work against her.

Alias or not.

So for now the long, brown haired girl cooperated peacefully with the two frowning men at her sides and allowed them to 'escort' her far into the Game Corner's underground offices. The three descended some stairs in front of them after opening up a simple wooden oak door.

Kimberley gulped some saliva down her throat as she heard one of the men locking the door behind them.

She was in trouble.

As soon as the three reached the bottom of the stairs and into their so called 'offices' Kimberley went for her Poké balls.

She was met with a swift kick to her stomach.

She grunted and in her pain forgo the idea altogether, falling to her knees and gripping her pained stomach as she did so. The Wanderer made a second attempt at her Poké balls but the man on her right back handed her on the face and sent her sprawling to the ground.

That was the last she remembered before turning unconscious.

_**4**_

Steven smirked as he sat in a perpetual pose; sitting on a well made stool, his legs hanging limply off it and his left arm folded under his raised right one. It hovered under his chin and formed a gentle fist, his back hunched lightly as if deep in thought.

He was also naked bar a pair of ember designed shorts.

He had stayed in this position for a little over thirty minutes now and had been feeling a little stiff but every now and then Erika had walked past him and lightly brushed her fingers across his bare back, shoulder or both at the same time, eliciting a shivering from him. He turned his eyes to watch her as best he could without turning his head and grinned as she did so.

"Note the limpid and clear picture of his form girls." Erika spoke as she passed him once more and Steven grinned as he listened silently. "His tone less arms and his thin, muscle less structure is a testament to his unblemished and…" she began in a serenely smiling explanation however her tone and expression seemed to alter if so slightly as she drew herself in a rotation around the boy before brushing her fingers once more across his left shoulder. "Youthful skin." the teacher added on in a hushed tone, even almost a whisper. Steven shivered once more involuntarily.

Oh he was _so_ in there!

The sound of scribbling crayons and splashing paint brushes was lost to Steven as he grinned over at the also grinning Erika, mixing eyesight with her as she passed him. If it were possible to read minds, Steven _swore_ he just did with the teacher in question.

He was ready to start hitting on her once more before the door to the class burst open.

"Steve!"

He gasped in widened, red eyes and snapped his body around, eliciting disappointed groans from the girls in the class. Erika hushed them with a frown and allowed the intruder to speak; she was a young, red headed girl and wore braces for her yellow top, pulled up blue jeans and simple blue trainers with a Water Style droplet design on them.

Steven recognised her instantly but was no less happy about it.

"You!" he called in his accusing point of his index finger and the young red head behind him appeared out of breath. The woman that leaded the reception desk soon poked her head in behind the young girl and frowned apologetically.

"I'm sorry Miss Barley but she _insisted_ on coming to collect Mr. Murray," the receptionist claimed and Erika frowned sadly. The class all gave disappointed groans once again at the interruption in the art class but Erika shushed them quietly once more.

"I'm sorry to see him go but-"

"I ain't goin'!" Steven shot out with and pouted as he raised his back up, folding his arms. Erika turned her head and raised a black eyebrow. "Misty can pick up her own problems for all _I_ care." the young boy muttered under his breath as he shut his eyes before suddenly snapping 'round and sticking his tongue out at the red head in a childish show of annoyance. "So there!" he shot back at the now scowling Misty before turning his head around and resumed his childish pout.

Misty narrowed her green eyes at the boy before walking over to him. "We don't have _time_ for this Steven," she grated through grit teeth at him as she turned her head for him to listen but as always the boy snapped his head around to his right to avoid her.

"Hmph!" he shot back in a clear refusal. The entire class was watching and no doubt Misty felt embarrassed to high heaven.

Well good!

_Let_ her feel embarrassed!

The red head didn't take it the way he thought she would have however for the former Gym Leader scowled as she walked over to her top right and plucked off some garments from the ground, a recognisable kind; black t-shirt, red and white jacket, blue jeans, a belt with four Poké balls on it and black and red trainers. _His _clothes; she also picked up his familiar, yellow back pack.

"Hey!" Steven called as he turned his head around to scowl over at her. "Hey! What's goin' on over there?" he called in his growing impatience and curiosity. Misty raised her head and found she couldn't find his familiar red hat but found the wincing and nervously chuckling girl in front of her clutching the hat itself in her fingers. Misty raised a curious and suspicious eyebrow at her before snatching the hat away from her grip and turning to walk off out the class' door. "Hey!" Steven called again, this time in a raised tone and his annoyance growing. He leapt off the stool he sat on and chased the running red head however stopped momentarily to issue the watching Erika finger guns. "I'll be back." he grinned at her and winked once before swiftly turning and running off again in pursuit.

Erika blinked and the receptionist ahead of her shrugged in wonder.

* * *

"Yo!" Steven called as he ran out the Gym and growled as he did so.

How could she _do_ this to him?

He was nearly naked in _public!_

"_STOP!_" the red faced Trainer screamed over at her and sure enough the red headed girl did. She halted her run and turned her head to scowl over at him. Steven caught up in a gasping scowl of his own, gripping his knees in his fatigue. "All right…" he gasped out in his scowl before raising his body. "What was _that_ all about?" he shouted at her in his angry fatigue, swiping at the air for effect as he did so but Misty only threw down his belongings to the ground as if they were cockroach infested. "For-" Steven growled out before he yanked down to grip at his jeans, quickly climbing into them.

Misty merely stood and folded her arms and scowled at him as he scrambled to dress himself. It took some time for him to put everything else on but when he finally affixed the last of his belongings _(his hat of course)_ he folded his own arms and scowled at the young girl.

"So come on! What the hell was _that_ all about?" he exclaimed angrily.

"Done?" she shot back quietly and calmly, green eyes narrowed and scowling back at him. Steven was taken by surprise for a few seconds as she spoke. "Because Bill sent me to take your ungrateful ass to go help out Kim!" she shouted over at him angrily and Steven blinked.

"Huh?" he simply asked in his curious frown.

"Bill and I were heading down to Celadon's Game Corner so _I_ could blow off some steam but we saw her get pulled down by force into some office downstairs. But lo and behold!" the former Gym Leader began sarcastically as she widened her eyes and opened her mouth to a surprised circle of her mouth. Steven shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "_You're_ down here being a selfish little _jerk_." the red head growled as she advanced a step and Steven winced visibly as he warded a step backwards. "Like you _always are!_" she finished in a stream of spit to his face as well as a well timed shout, balling her fists together in her show of rage. Steven cringed at the end of her sentence and his former anger at her soon receded.

She _was_ right.

But _still_ she didn't have to be so _scary_ about it…

Finally he conceded in a narrow eyed frown, looking away from her angry gaze. "All right; let's just go." he murmured and stuck his hands in his jacket pockets as he trudged on after the Celadon Game Corner. Misty's eyes widened, presumably in pure surprise before she turned her head to stare after him before shrugging and running off to catch up.

When they got there Bill had, of course, been turned down for his investigation.

"All right." Steven sighed as he walked up to the frowning and folded armed researcher. He turned his head around in a curious blink to find the also frowning Misty and Steven behind him. "What's happened?" the boy asked exasperatedly. Bill looked over at Misty in a small wince but receiving a confirming nod from her he began.

"We think Kim's been kidnapped," the Administrator claimed and Steven's red eyes slowly widened.

"Wha…?" he murmured in his eyes widening. However he soon narrowed them and lowered his eyebrows as he did so, unable to believe it even as it was claimed.

"Misty and I were heading to the Game Corner here but as soon as we reached it we saw Kim get taken downstairs into an office of some kind," he stated sombrely and Steven only laughed it off, grinning as he joined his hands behind his head care freely.

"Come on! She probably won a ton of money and they probably just wanted her down there to-"

"It didn't look voluntary Steven," Bill hushed over quietly at him in narrowed, suspicious eyes as he shook his head, stopping the boy in a wide eyed blink.

"Tell him Bill," Misty called over quietly and the Administrator in question nodded gravely. Steven watched from the two in annoyed and impatient suspense.

"Tell me what?" he narrowed his eyes.

Bill sighed before speaking once more. "We have suspicions the Celadon Game Corner is being used by an organisation,"

"Organisation? What organisa-"

"Team Rocket,"

He gasped and his red eyes snapped wide open as he interrupted. Misty looked over and Steven turned to her as if for some kind of confirmation. She nodded at him, arms folded and frowning seriously.

"Now you see how serious this is," the former Gym Leader stated and Steven only looked away in narrowed eyes, breathing heavily it seemed.

"Don't worry Steven; I don't think Richard Scott is down there." Bill murmured as he turned his head up to watch the Celadon Game Corner in question. Suddenly the inviting casino hall had been given a foreboding and malignant light to it, as if it were a luring Venus fly trap. "I can't be sure but if he _was_ down there you can be certain he'd have killed at least someone by now," the young man claimed as he craned his neck up to watch. Steven gulped and turned his head, suddenly afraid of the place behind him greatly.

He had to agree with Bill though; to say Richard Scott was an angry man would be to give the greatest understatement to any known meaning in _any_ language in the known world.

He could even say he was _afraid_ of Richard Scott.

But… Kim was down there…

"I don't know guys." Steven whispered as his courage began to falter. Bill turned in a frown. "Can we really get in there?" he asked in a cringe. Misty and Bill exchanged a cringe of their own before turning to him. He turned his head up to his companions and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked in a weak whine.

"Misty and I can't go Steven; they know our faces and know our status well." Bill stated simply in his frown and Steven's red eyes slowly widened in his close to towering fear. "You gotta do it," he finished in a concerned frown and Steven could only seem to stare.

"Steven?" Misty chanced in a narrow of her eyes as she leaned her head to the side in her own concern however her words were lost to the boy.

"I-I can't." Steven whispered back in his widened eyes as he took two hazarding steps back from his companions. "Did you _see_ what happened to me back on Route Twenty Five? He nearly killed me." the boy hushed in his worried cringe.

They couldn't be serious.

"W-Why can't _you_ guys-"

"Because they've been looking for me since Route Twenty Five Steven." Bill shot back in a cringe of his own and Steven blinked in his scared, heavy breathing. "Misty's a former ICL Gym Leader so they'll know her on the spot and she's had too many fights with them in the past; you're Kim's only chance," the Administrator claimed and Steven blinked before another idea came to the rescue.

Yeah! Kevin!

"W-What about Kev-"

"We tried him already." Misty frowned and Steven's hopes were crushed once again. "We can't find him anywhere,"

"B-But he was _here_." the boy whined. "Right outside Celadon _Gym!_" he finished in an exasperated shout as he pointed behind him and at the building in question. Bill and Misty both winced once more but turned to look at him again, as if determined to see it through, through him.

"You're it Steven; we're sorry," Misty apologised to him in a wince and Steven stood in a heavy breathing cringe of his own as he gripped at his head and winced.

Risk going down there and meet Rick again _(and probably die in the process)_.

Or run and live but condemn Kimberley to death.

What to choose?

If he ran then he'd live for sure but… he'd probably have no more friends and…

Oh _man!_

"All right _fine!_" the red capped boy gave in with an angry yell and frowned back up at the watching and wide eyed two. He conceded with a final sigh and cringed as he did so, his eyes shut. "I'll do it," he whispered.

"Okay." Bill nodded in his own whisper. "Here," the Administrator frowned as he rose up a device of some kind with tape stuck to it. Steven stared at it strangely; it looked like some kind of walkie talkie.

"What is it?" he asked simply and Misty gasped as she seemed to recognise it.

"Do you want him to get _fried?_" the red head hissed at him in a scowl and Bill winced.

"It's the only way I could promise him any protection!" the Administrator shot back and Misty growled but swiftly pulled herself back. Steven looked from his two companions awkwardly and felt his worry growing. Bill turned back and handed the boy it. He took it from him with a worried glance. "It's a wire; the authorities will be able to listen in if you get caught,"

"B-" the red jacketed boy nearly screamed out in surprise and fear but Bill quickly squashed it back down again.

"No need to worry it's only a precaution!" he winced and waved at the air in an obvious negative. Steven began to calm down but only a little. "They'll zero in on your position and storm the place if things get really bad okay?" he consoled the boy and Steven nodded unenthusiastically.

"Okay," he murmured, eyes drooped downwards and wincing as before. Bill cringed in his vain attempt but Misty gained a smile and tapped the boy on the shoulder. He raised his head in a blinking frown but his eyes soon widened as she took his head and pulled him closer to her. He gasped before he was taken into a sudden kiss with the young girl and even Bill widened his eyes at the sight, taking an awkward step back from the two.

_Hours_ seemed to pass between the two as they froze themselves to the spot, Steven's eyes wide and twitching and his cheeks taking on a reddish hue, Misty closed eyed and concentrated as she gripped his head between her hands gently, her own cheeks taking on a red colour. However she finally released the young boy and he blinked furiously in his obviously confused and embarrassed state, watching her with pondering eyes. She sighed with her eyes still shut before raising her head and smiling at him.

"How's _that_ for motivation?" the red head smiled at him and Steven blinked in a wide eyed gasp and chuckle almost at the same time before the two began to laugh.

Strange, he thought.

Issuing the two a final grin and fist pump in the air he returned his usual _(over)_confidence. "I'll be back in time for dinner!" the boy shot over in his grin before turning around and running off toward the Game Corner itself. Bill watched him leave with a surprised stare.

"I didn't think you _liked_ him at all," the Administrator claimed as he turned his head around to frown down at the young girl in question. Misty slapped the man upside the head however and folded her arms as she walked on forward.

"Come on; we'll want to let those officers know he's in," the red head called after him fairly calmly and Bill winced at the pain left by her attack. He winced and nursed his sore spot before sighing and following her.

"Coming." he groaned.

_**5**_

Kimberley grunted in another pained wince as the Rocket Grunt in front of her struck her back with a whip, streaking more blood and opening up old wounds as well as creating new ones. Her blue eyes stung with tears as she was continually whipped by the grinning man behind her, her body tensing suddenly with each strike.

She wouldn't scream for them though; never.

She wouldn't even give them the satis_faction_.

The _fucks_.

The black dressed man behind her finally quit his merciless torture on her back and turned his head as the door to the room opened up with an audible click. Kimberley allowed herself to breathe out but quietly enough so the two couldn't hear her.

The Rocket Grunt blinked as the female Grunt next to him whispered in his ear, listening intently. He suddenly snapped back his head from her and looked at her with widened eyes as if to confirm the details of what she had stated. She nodded in a grave frown and he growled.

"It's your lucky day kid." the Grunt grinned as he turned his head to the narrow eyed and bound Kimberley. "The Boss wants to see me; probably to promote me for whippin' your ass so hard." he smirked and Kimberley's scowl deepened quietly, the tears stinging at her eyes as she did so. He and his female Grunt companion turned and headed out the door but not before he turned back and issued her a cheesy and fishy upward and lowered gesture of his fingers in a lame attempt to look scary. "I'll be back!" he chuckled over at her and her scowl only deepened further _(if that were possible)_ and as soon as she heard the door click shut she hawked and spat on the floor in front of her in some vain hope that it was his face.

She could be so lucky.

However a few more seconds passed and just as she was left to her thoughts the door clicked back open again and Kimberley tensed.

God what _now?_

She was glad the bastards left her black dress on but she wondered how long that would take before they'd try anything.

Maybe now…

Ugh if only she had her team with her…!

"Pst!"

Her blue eyes widened and she gasped, losing her worried cringe. She instantly snapped her head down to her lower right and left.

Who-

"It's me!" the voice's owner whispered behind her and she narrowed her eyes; the voice sounded somewhat familiar.

"Who-"

"Steven!" the voice's owner shot back and her eyes widened before she slowly grinned.

"Rabbit!" she called almost too loudly in her relieved grin and winced. "Sorry," she murmured.

"What happened to your _back?_" the boy murmured back in a presumable wince and Kimberly cringed; it must look horrible.

"Who else?" she muttered under her breath as she scowled once more.

She'd make those fuckers pay.

Pay big time.

But for now she had to escape.

"Rabbit you gotta undo these bonds quickly before-" she began but footsteps suddenly invaded their ears and the two gasped almost simultaneously. Kimberley cringed. "Hide!" she hissed over at him and the boy behind her presumably snapped his head around for a place to hide.

No, no, no…

Sure enough the door behind them both clicked back open and in stepped a pair of feet with clicking shoes. The door closed quietly behind them and the tapping shoe owner stopped suddenly.

"Miss Hauklen I presume?"

Her eyes widened but she managed to stop herself from gasping.

It wasn't the same man.

… Hauklen…?

"I understand your uneasiness better than most my young dear but trust me you're in no danger with me." the man's deep voice behind her claimed and Kimberley had to resist from rolling her eyes.

Yeah right.

The man's clicking shoes started up again and the Wanderer's ears perked to them getting closer with each step. He seemed to smell a pleasant scent of a strange type of cologne and her nose twitched with it. It smelled foreign somehow…

Italian?

"Let's not be rude now Miss. I have personally taken care of the man who needlessly physically assaulted you; I realise this is in no way to make anything up to you but I did what I felt was necessary," the man spoke behind her and Kimberley narrowed her eyes ahead of her.

She didn't _hear_ him being taken care of but she supposed that's how Team Rocket worked these things; in the dark. And if that was truly the case then this man she was talking to had to be a high ranking member of them.

Maybe she could get out of this yet.

Thankfully the man didn't seem to have noticed the hiding Steven as well; her chances were now doubled in some viewpoint.

"What do you want with me?" she chanced out in narrowed eyes and a scowl. She silently hoped that Steven behind her could somehow incapacitate the man but something else told her he didn't have the proverbial balls.

She gave herself fifty, fifty.

"Wonderful; you _can_ talk it seems." the man deeply chuckled behind her and Kimberley's scowl twitched lightly. "I must apologise for one of my employees; he is not versed in our organisation's rules and procedures it seems. As I said he has been dealt with however; he shall not bother you again," the man spoke and Kimberley imagined a smile on his face when he said it.

"Who are you?" she spoke calmly with narrowed, twitching eyes.

"As hypocritical as this may sound I'm afraid I cannot give that information Miss." the man replied and Kimberly's eyes twitched in silent anger once more. "One must remain ever vigilant," he claimed in a dead set tone. Kimberley knew not to press the matter so she laid it to rest.

"What do you want with _me?_" the girl tried again in her narrow eyed scowl.

"Absolutely nothing believe it or not but my men are so sadistic it seems that they just _had_ to use you as a whipping post." the man claimed and Kimberley narrowed her eyes as she listened to him further. "But now as it seems that you have seen too much and I cannot allow you to leave our Celadon branch." the man's voice sighed behind her and her eyes widened.

She knew it but she didn't want to believe it.

"Fear not; I will give you some minutes alone in this room if you so wish to prepare yourself for your merciful death," the man spoke in an almost business like tone. Kimberley's face twitched and her blue eyes widened again; she saw her way out.

Yes!

Steeling herself to sound dejected she lowered her head slowly and cringed. "Please," she whispered and the man seemed to acknowledge.

"Very well." he said and she imagined him nodding before hearing his clicking footsteps once again. "I will send someone to deal with you momentarily and for what it is worth I apologise." the man's voice called over to her before the door shut behind him. Kimberley allowed herself to breathe heavily outward and she scowled.

She didn't like to admit it but that man scared the living _shit_ out of her.

God knows she hadn't even clapped eyes on him.

Suddenly however her mind resumed function and she turned her head up. "Steven!" she whispered out quietly in narrowed eyes. He _had_ to still be here; she wasn't dying like a dog. She heard heavy breathing behind her and was sure it had to be him. "Get me out of this; quick!" she requested quietly as she wrenched her arms around the chains holding her in place.

"O-Okay." the boy behind him whispered back and Kimberley winced.

That guy seemed to have put the shits in him too.

She didn't blame him.

The boy released out a Poké ball as quietly as he could and silently seemed to order his Pokémon to assist him. Soon the red capped boy was at her right side, fumbling with the iron chains that wrenched her wrist painfully and she hissed in air as he did so clumsily.

"S-Sorry." the boy apologised in a whisper as his fingers trembled. She waited patiently but fear grew in her system and she turned her head around past the Wartortle on her left shoulder and on to glare at the door behind her.

Please don't come through she thought in a sweating cringe.

Sure enough however the chains around her right wrist came loose and she couldn't help herself from gasping as she regained control, yanking the aching wrist up to gently rest on her mouth. The Wartortle on her shoulder finished her left shackles and the duo moved to her feet. Within less time they finished and Kimberley was allowed movement once again. As soon as the wincing Steven stood back up she yanked the boy in for a grateful hug and he gasped in the surprise.

"Thank you." she whispered in narrowed, twitching eyes. She nodded in a shaky smile down at the smiling Wartortle below them. "You too," she conceded and the Water Type grinned back.

"Let's just get _out_ of here!" Steven hissed in her ear and the two moved back, Kimberley nodding.

"Agreed," she nodded before the three moved back towards the room's entrance and exit, hiding near the door.

"How do we get out though?" the red capped boy whispered out as he kneeled down next to the door.

"You gotta use your Pokémon to take out whoever's coming in here to kill me," Kimberley hushed back in a frown and Steven snapped his eyes 'round in a surprised frown.

"You're kiddin'!"

"Do you see any other alternative?" she hissed back at him in a narrow eyed scowl and he winced as he turned his head slowly back around.

"No." he admitted quietly and exchanged a similar frowning nod with his Wartortle. "What happened to _your_ Pokémon?" he asked and she shook her head.

"They have them," she answered for him and he growled in exasperation.

"Damn!" he murmured and gulped. The idea of sneaking around the underground hideout of a Mafia organisation didn't seem too appealing to Kimberley either but she'd do it for her Pokémon; they wouldn't have abandoned her if it could be helped. "All right." Steven conceded in a narrow eyed frown. "We gotta be stealthy then." he admitted and turned 'round to his Water Type monster next to him. "Maybe we could give Haze a try?" he asked in a narrow eyed whisper and Wartortle grinned one of its fangs at him exuberantly, nodding as it did so. Steven grinned back.

Kimberley had to admit that was a good idea.

However as if to test that theory the door to the room opened back up again and Kimberley gasped in widened eyes. Steven and Wartortle leapt to action and he nodded down to his loyal Water Type who in turn suddenly sprayed water all over the area. Before the man above them could even splutter the Wartortle shut its eyes silently and seemed to concentrate on the air, turning it into a hazy mist. The man's eyes widened and he gasped but it was all that came out of his mouth before he fell to the ground in a sleepy sigh. Steven and Kimberley leapt over in winced to catch the falling man before he slammed against the floor.

Managing to shut the door quietly behind him they moved him across the floor and placed him down quietly before turning for the door. They all exchanged worried glances before slowly _(and of course quietly)_ snaking the door back open. In single file they sneaked out of the room to the left, Kimberley first and Steven and his Wartortle last respectively. Keeping their heads down low and out of sight they sneaked across the floor quietly but feeling incredibly open to sight.

'Unnerving' would have been an understatement.

As sharply as they could they looked for an exit to Celadon City's Game Corner but with little knowledge of the underground office they sneaked in it proved to be a difficult enough task. Kimberley caught sight of an empty room to her close right and signalled to the watching Steven whom nodded in response; they both sneaked in and leaned against the wall behind a window above them, not daring to shut the door as footsteps echoed behind them.

"You think so?"

"Oh yeah! That little prick's got it _made_,"

Steven silently gasped and quietly leaned against the wall behind him, issuing the watching Kimberley with a silent shush of his finger. She nodded.

"Yeah how do you figure?"

"I work with the fuckin' guy; why else ya prick?"

"Hey no need to get snipp-"

"Oh sorry was I snippy? Fuck you asshole,"

"Whatever. I'm more interested in the deal this kid's got,"

"Yeah he's a little prick; fuckin' pussy is what he is,"

"Yeah why's that?"

"Well here I am in that piss stain Brock Slate's Pewter Gym to get the right Boulder Badge right?"

"Right?"

"And this little fuckin' _prick_." the man began and Steven shivered as he winced.

Already he had a strange inkling as to who this man was.

"He completely undermines me and _hands_ the fuckin' badge to this other kid!"

The other man laughed.

"I tell ya; if I find that kid that he gave that badge to…"

Steven gulped hard.

"So how's this deal your partner gets then?"

"Oh that prick? Fuckin' cunt; I dunno what the story is between 'em but I hear he fucks her – continually,"

"That right?"

"I can fuckin' _smell_ it off him,"

"So why the hell she fuck him?"

"God I don't fuckin' know; maybe she gets off on pussies for some goddamn reason. Who cares anyway? Bitch is fucked in the head,"

His friend laughed.

"So any reason we're stoppin' here?"

"Yeah; I gotta keep a look out for the Boss,"

"Why?"

"I fucked up with that prick I was tellin' ya about,"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah and you ain't hearin' it,"

"Fair enough."

"Shit he's comin' this way!"

"Fuck wait!"

Their footsteps soon descended down the hall and Kimberley and Steven both allowed themselves to breathe a little louder.

"That was Rick," the red capped boy winced and Kimberley turned in a frown.

"Who?"

"The man that tried to kill us on Route Twenty Five!" he hissed over and she gasped in widened eyes, turning them up to the glass pane window to her left.

She suddenly remembered him; the man that had been torturing Bill at his Sea Cottage on Route Twenty Five.

He crept her out big time; he had the look of a psychotic man with no limits to his morals.

Probably proved it too.

However as the brown haired lass' head turned around she held back from gasping in fear of being caught but almost couldn't hold her giddy surprise.

All neatly filed away on the table in front of her were three Poké balls.

Her Pokémon!

She made to leap forward but a wincing Steven stopped her. "How do you know they're yours?" he whispered over and she rolled her eyes in response.

"Trust me." she merely shot back before quietly jumping over to grab them. Still smiling she took the belt that came with it and also conveniently lying on the table with the spheres. She grinned at the simple find and affixed the belt to her dress. "Kinda losin' your edge huh?" she whispered as she set the belt, her comment obviously directed at the organisation that previously held her captive.

She turned around in her grin. "So Rabbit, ready to g-" she began in her confident grin however it fell almost instantly when she saw what awaited her behind the glass pane ahead of her. Her blue eyes slowly widened and she couldn't help her mouth in opening up. Steven looked up at her in narrowed, wondering eyes.

"What is it?" he whispered over and her lower lip trembled as she stood, frozen in place it seemed. "Kim! What is it?" he hissed over in an impatient frown.

"N-No." she whispered out.

A smiling man stood outside the glass pane wearing a long black coat buttoned up with a front coat pocket for a stylish red cloth. He also wore a black, felt trilby hat, held a long jewel encrusted cane and finally his similarly ebony and formal based trousers carried a well ironed look to them. He seemed to be a man that commanded great authority in the underground of poorly dressed Grunts.

It had to be him.

_Him_.

The man she was told was _dead_.

The man that told her _she_ was dead not just long ago.

"Kim! Come on man; tell m-" Steven hissed over in an annoyed frown but before he could even finish the glass window was thrust smashed open by a screaming Pokémon of some kind. Kimberley couldn't tell which Pokémon in particular but it bore some kind of resemblance to a Rhyhorn or a Rhydon.

"Run!" Kimberley only screeched out as she darted forward as quickly as possible out the door. Steven gasped but followed regardless, calling back his Wartortle as he did so.

* * *

As Steven leapt out the now open door _(thanks to his also fleeing companion)_ he swiftly turned his body to his right to instinctively avoid the cane holding man on his left. However before he completely turned he caught the slow grinning of the watching and well dressed man as he did so. Time seemed to slow down to whispers and everything else around him sound wise was lost to him. Steven exchanged his red eyed stare with the watching man's own black, his head slowly turning to watch them escape and yet he didn't rush for him like he thought he would.

The man just stood there and smirked back at him lowly as if he _knew_ something Steven didn't.

His stare… something about it he thought…

Something unnerving.

Time regained its stream however and Steven narrowed his eyes as he snapped back his head in his forward direction, following the running Kimberley. Though as he turned the corridor's only right turn with his Wanderer companion, he couldn't stop himself from turning his head back around momentarily to watch the black dressed man one more time.

The man only grinned back at him ominously.

A shiver went down his spine even _through_ all the worry and high adrenaline as he ran.

Almost as soon as the two passed through the turn however the sound of an alarm rang through the underground offices. Steven and Kimberley cringed. "Damn!" the Wanderer exclaimed out in half worry, half annoyance. "We gotta _move!_ Come on!" the young girl urged and Steven could only nod in agreement. He was still incredibly spooked by that one man's stare.

Why? He didn't know.

But there was something there; something that _defined_ him not unlike that of Rick.

Above the constant screeching of the alarm he _(and he dared say Kimberley did as well)_ heard the renting screech of the pursuing Pokémon that the black dressed man sent after them. He snapped his head 'round behind him and sure enough there it was sprinting after him with an angry scowl on its face.

He hadn't seen anything like it.

"Up! Come on!" Kimberley exclaimed down to him in some attempt to rally him into moving. He did so of course and took the ascending steps in front of him two at a time.

He did _not_ want to be on the receiving end of that Pokémon.

It seemed to look like one of those Rhyhorn or Rhydon he read about but it was different somehow; though a Rhydon's appearance resembled that of a metallic body _this _particular Pokémon had more of a rocky kind, shades of red rocks acting like a belt around its waist.

For Mew's sake don't _analyse_ the Pokémon!

_Run_ from it!

His fear reaching new heights, he gasped as he leapt up the stairs in his escape attempt, closely following behind his companion. However as the two quickly reached the top Kimberley stopped suddenly and gasped in widened eyes. Steven gave a similar reply but looked past her and growled.

No!

Richard Scott stood in the pair's way, scowling as he stood limp in front of them. In all the commotion and chaos he calmly raised up his Glock Nineteen firearm with his left hand, pointing it directly at the young children.

"No." Kimberley whispered under her breath as she scowled back at the man and took a hazarding step backward. Steven snapped his body back around and fingered the Poké balls at his belt in some attempt to ready himself for the pursuing Pokémon behind them.

Even _he_ didn't see much for their chances.

"Kimberley." Steven called above the ongoing and deafening siren. The brown haired Wanderer turned her head halfway 'round, keeping her eyes deathly still on the narrow eyed Rick ahead of her. His eyes twitched as the screeching Pokémon suddenly leapt up the stairs, landing in a resounding crash. It stood in front of him menacingly and narrowed its eyes threateningly, its body position low and its rocky arms lowered. "Misty and Bill; they sent me down here to rescue you," he called above the siren once more and Kimberley only raised a brown eyebrow.

"Yeah, so?" she called back.

Steven's face shook in his growing fear; he _hated_ himself for this. His first time. "If you can find a way past him then just go." he replied and Kimberley's eyes widened but she didn't turn her head all the way 'round. "I can take care of that Pokémon," he added on.

"You're fucking joking!" the Wanderer yelled out angrily and Steven winced. "What about that guy huh? What then?"

Steven remained silent.

Kimberley's scowl only darkened. "Idiot! You'd just be killing yourself! You'd be no help to anyone that way!"

"But I-" he murmured in a cringe as he lowered his red eyes however before the boy could finish the sound of a gunshot rent the air hard and the two gasped hard, snapping around to find the shut eyed Rick yelling in pain from something.

Kimberley and Steven's breath calmed a little. A missed shot; thank god.

However it raised questions as to _why_; the Rocket Grunt yelled in his seeming pain, on one knee as blood seeped from his fallen one.

Then wha-?

A young man leapt down from the ceiling of the underground office with a narrow eyed Tentacool at his side, fresh from just using the Poison Sting attack it seems but Kimberley recognised him instantly.

"Kevin!" she called in a wide eyed smile. He turned around in a small grin of his own before suddenly frowning once again.

"Gotta move!" he simply called out and Kimberley nodded along with him. She turned to the blinking Steven.

"Come on!" she called and gripped him by his forearm, yanking him across the floor. Kevin quickly ordered his Tentacool to stick another barrage of the Poison Sting at the growling Rick before running forward and swinging his foot into the Rocket Grunt's chest hard. He gave a pained whulf and collapsed to the floor, eyes wide and livid. Kevin gave him a lingering grin before shooting forward with his companions, recalling his Tentacool as he did so.

Just ahead of them was the exit it seemed; a sharp turn to the left and up some stairs into the Celadon Game Corner once again but the screeching, rocky Pokémon pursued them once again, Double Edging the narrow corridor's walls like they were thin paper. The three turned their heads in wide eyed worry as they ran but Kevin growled and snapped his head back around presumably to keep his eyes ahead of him. Sure enough nothing blocked their path but just as they neared the stairs the shrieking Pokémon behind them snapped up its arms and shot out round bullets of something from inside of its palms, obviously for the escapees.

Steven's red eyes widened as one of the rocky bullets passed him and embedded itself in the wall next to him. It smashed him on his left cheek however and sent the boy falling in a painful skid.

"Steven!" Kimberley called as she suddenly stopped and spun her body around, making a half effort to reach down for him but before she could, Kevin gripped her forearm and ran off with her.

"Let's just get _out_ of here! We can't risk it!" the Renegade called out as he continued his run and Kimberley's eyes widened as she was yanked away. Steven gasped and he scrambled to raise his body up but before he could even make a dent in his escape attempt the spherical and rocky bullets shot forward from behind him once again but this time a disturbing amount of them.

So many of them that they blocked the corridor off from him.

His heart sunk and in his growing terror, his heavy breathing returned as he slowly turned his head around. The ongoing siren which had been – until now – running itself ragged with use had turned silent, giving the area a sudden and frightening aura. Finally he turned his head around and his eyes widened once more as he caught sight of the expected pursuing Pokémon behind him, breathing heavily back as it scowled over at him. Behind the Pokémon was – of course – its master; the ebony dressed man, grinning as before.

All was quiet except for the faint coughing of the previously attacked Rick behind them all and as Steven mixed stares with the grinning man in front of him, he backed away slowly on his hands and feet, eyes on his two pursuers zealously. His body stopped as expected on the rocks fired by the Pokémon and his face twitched as he felt them dig into his jacket, shirt and skin. The man seemed to take this as a sign and grinned once more as he walked up closer, joining his scowling Pokémon.

"You've been eluding me for some time now." the man called over quietly but his voice resonated loudly within the wide eyed Steven's ears. The coated man's low grin only grew lightly as he spoke his next words. "Steven of Pallet Town."

_**6**_

When Kimberley and Kevin had finally managed to escape Team Rocket's cleverly disguised office's underground and re entered Celadon's Game Corner, _(which by now had been evacuated for obvious reasons)_ they collapsed outside to their knees in both their relief as well as growing fatigue.

"Kim! Kev!"

The two snapped their heads over to their north west to find the running Misty and Bill joining them.

"Oh. It's you guys," Kevin gasped out in his fatigue, sweat dropping from his forehead as he did so.

"Great! He saved you!" Misty called out as she stood over the gasping Wanderer in question. She looked up and smiled as the former Gym Leader offered her a hand. Taking it she winced as she raised herself, her back still hurting it seemed.

"We gotta get that looked at," Kevin gasped over as he scowled over at Kimberley's back. She only nodded.

"Where's Steven?" Bill asked as he frowned down at the two. They looked up at him with simple frowns and exchanged looks. The researcher's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What happened to him?" the young man questioned quickly.

Kimberley winced but Kevin scowled back up at him wordlessly.

"He's still down there isn't he." Misty stated as a fact, not even a question, her green eyes widened as she stared down at them. Still they did not reply and her anger quickly surfaced. "_Isn't he?_" she shrieked suddenly down at them and Kimberley cringed as she looked away from the red head's glare.

"Yes," the Wanderer could only manage out in her visible wince. Misty exchanged a worried look with the frowning Bill.

"You just… _left_ him?" Misty asked in narrowed, judging eyes and Kevin's head snapped back up again in his own scowl.

"We had to!" he shot back and Misty's eyes twitched as she listened. "The kid got sealed off!" the Renegade claimed and Kimberley nodded in silent, sombre agreement.

"That's not the point," Misty murmured quietly under her breath as she shook her head and Bill sighed as he folded his arms and looked off away from the other three.

"Don't get on such a _high horse_." the Renegade replied venomously and Misty's scowl only grew. "We did our part in Lavender Town remember! We stuck our fucking _necks_ out for that kid! And what does he do? Constant little put downs about that or a smart comment on this!" he added as he stood up, towering over the scowling red head. She did not appear intimidated at all however. "Well no more! The kid can live like _we_ did and fend for himself! It's about time anyway." he finished in a murmuring scowl of his own before turning and taking the cringing Kimberley by her hand. "Come on; we gotta have you looked at." he admitted. The Wanderer dared not raise her head to the silently glaring Misty and shut eyed Bill as she gradually disappeared along with the young man.

Misty followed them with a hateful glare before she back handed Bill's chest gently for his attention. "Come on Bill; we have to go help him." she admitted and the Administrator winced in distaste it seemed but regardless he nodded and ran after her into the evacuated Celadon Game Corner.

* * *

Steven put on his best attempt not to seem frightened and even tried a scowl back at the grinning man in front of him as he used his right hand to lean against the rock wall behind him but his scowl only managed a weak frown, red eyes narrowed.

"It's an interesting thing friendship." the man began out for the first time since addressing the young Trainer. Steven's eyebrow rose in curiosity for the man's words, meanwhile using the time to ponder a way out of his current dilemma. "You brave down into the void of monsters themselves to rescue your companion and are quickly abandoned by them as swift as the night's wind." the short black haired man claimed.

Steven couldn't disagree.

The man's amused grin seemed to falter however and he gained a dark frown in place of it. "I'll admit I have never had a genuine 'friend'… in years. Tell me Steven; what is it like?" he questioned as he raised a black eyebrow. Steven's red eyes narrowed in suspicion, darting from the heavily breathing and scowling Pokémon to its master himself.

"I wouldn't know," he simply replied back as calmly as he could but his voice cracked at ends. He screamed at himself in his head for it. The man chuckled back at him, smiling as he had done before at the window.

"We're alike in that you and I." the man claimed and Steven's eye twitched. His fingers trembled over his Poké balls as he stood in his narrow eyed frown. Whenever someone would trade words with him before a Pokémon Battle Steven would always get some kind of feel – even a _small_ one at least – at whether he would win that confrontation or lose it; to be honest it was really the only way he'd won all his battles up till this point. For the majority of his journey this feeling he got when he challenged the said person and they responded, he could _feel_ through their very _voice_ itself that he would win that battle.

But now he was not so certain and that put the greatest fear in him of all.

Something about this guy was off, Steven thought.

"I know of your ability Steven." the man spoke over and the red eyed boy gasped in widened eyes, clearly taken by surprise. The man's grin widened lightly. "Your rare ability to deduce a person's words' value I mean; not your mediocre fighting power," the ebony dressed man claimed in his grin and Steven growled in narrowed eyes.

"I wouldn't underestimate me," the red eyed boy shot back in grit teeth, fear to the bone.

"Nor would I." he replied in his knowing grin. Steven couldn't help from sniffing out air through his nose in widened eyed worry as the man took a few steps closer, gripping on his cane as he did so. He stopped and grinned over at the uneasy boy. "It was the Mew wasn't it?" the man asked in his grin and Steven's eyes widened once again but this time in a different kind of surprise.

Mew?

The man chuckled over at him, his eyes narrowing thinly. "No wonder he wants to stop you from moving around," the man added cryptically and Steven narrowed his eyes suspiciously for the umpteenth time.

"What are you getting at?" he shot back and the man's grin was lost instantly, perhaps due to his impatience.

"When you were younger boy; you saw a Mew did you not?" he questioned and Steven growled eyes narrowed. He remembered that night with Ross; the night his parents died.

"Yeah; so what?"

The man's grin returned, satisfied by his answer it seemed. "Good." he grinned before turning his eyes over to his heavily breathing Pokémon and nodding up lightly. Steven's eyes widened as he realised his intentions.

"Wait!" he called but the growling _(and presumed)_ Rock Type leapt at him. The boy grunted as he back leapt in evasion to his right. The Rock behemoth smashed its right fist into the ground where Steven previously was, easily destroying the floor and spitting up rocks as it did so. Steven landed and yanked a Poké ball out. Without thinking and based solely on instinct of a Rock Type's weakness he took a chance and threw out Wartortle's Poké ball. "Water Pulse!" the boy ordered out and the Turtle Pokémon shot out a wave of water from its mouth. Sure enough it crashed into the narrow eyed and recovered Pokémon but it merely leapt _through_ the attack, glaring hatefully at the wide eyed Steven. "_What?_" the red capped boy exclaimed out in unbelieving eyes however the supposed Rock Type smashed its left fist this time at the ground near the two.

Steven and his Wartortle brought their arms up to block against it but the sheer force of the attack sent them both yelling and smashing into the wall behind them. The two slithered down the wall in groans and the red capped boy grunted as he nursed the back of his head. However before he could even leap back up to recover the Pokémon narrowed its eyes as it closed the gap between them, lowering one of its rock bladed arms at the Trainer and Wartortle's neck threateningly. Steven and his Water Type starter both gasped in widened eyes but stayed put.

Even _he_ knew better it seemed.

He heard the man on his right advancing slowly next to him, his well polished black shoes clicking against the floor. "Now you see how naïve you were." the man's voice reprimanded and Steven growled in his hateful glare, receiving a similar one from the man's Pokémon above him. "It took you more than three seconds to take a Poké ball, throw it and for your Wartortle to brace itself; more than enough time to have you at death's door." the man claimed and Steven growled as he raised up his head to scowl at the man on his top right, unable to move besides. The man only frowned down at him. "You've been arrogant child; too arrogant." he added on and Steven's growl only grew.

The man's eyebrow raised and he grinned once again before he nodded down to his Pokémon. It looked up at him as if for confirmation before it yanked back and then swiftly sunk its right fist into the boy's stomach hard, sending him gasping and wide eyed up against the wall behind him. His arms instinctively coiled around the glaring Pokémon's rocky arm weakly and in a vain attempt to take its hold off of him.

It suddenly let go and Steven grunted as he sagged back down to the ground, on his hands and feet. He breathed heavily and coughed continually as he lay weak and beaten. "You see?" the man's voice further taunted and Steven's eyes snapped wide open before he whooshed his head up.

"Now!" he yelled out and the man's eyebrows rose in light surprise as he turned. His large Pokémon of course turned as well but as it did, no attack came from the ceiling as they had expected. Rather the ground smashed apart _below_ the Pokémon and the ebony dressed man's monster was sent flying upwards in its wide eyed pain from a narrow eyed Nidorino. Steven allowed himself no rest however and kept his scowl up as he leapt to his feet and away from the watching, black haired man. He nodded forward and his Wartortle leapt up to further assist its ally with another Water Pulse. This time however it seemed to catch its enemy off guard and sent it screeching into the wall painfully.

Steven again allowed no time for rest and in his mixed fear and adrenaline threw forward another sphere. "Caesar!" he yelled out and a narrow eyed Snorlax leapt out from the red and white Poké ball. It pulled its arm back and charging it with an ice cold elemental power it yelled its name out deeply before smashing it deep into its shrieking opponent's undefended chest.

"An Ice Punch…" the man behind him mused and Steven snapped his head around in a narrow eyed gasp. "I wonder if it's enough… to take out my Rhyperior?" he asked in a rhetorical grin.

Steven's fear grew.

He couldn't win this.

He couldn't!

That Rhyperior thing looked damaged _now_ but…

Something in his mind just told him to _run!_

Gritting his teeth and scowling hard he raised up his Poké balls to recall his team however before he could, his opponent raced to action.

"Dozer!" he exclaimed out for the first time and sure enough on command the Rhyperior growled deeply before it burst itself apart from the embedded wall behind it. Steven's Snorlax gasped in widened eyes and stumbled backwards as it did so.

"Caesar!" Steven yelled out in widened eyes.

Of course it was too late; the Rhyperior growled as it slugged the Normal Type across the face with some kind of Fighting Style attack. The Snorlax grunted in its pain as it was sent careering into the wall behind it, instantly fainting it, it seemed. Steven reached out his arm vainly for the Normal Type.

"Please don't!"

"Now Dozer! The rest!"

The Rhyperior yelled out its own name as it smashed the ground with its strong fists hard, causing an artificial earthquake of its own making and Steven stumbled as he fell to his rear, dropping his Poké balls as he did so. The Rock and Ground dual Type however used this ample time to use its signature move and as the surprised and remaining Nidorino and Wartortle were, they could not manage to defend themselves in time, nor even prepare for the impact.

"Rock Wrecker!" the man yelled out his order and sure enough the Rhyperior growled before yanking out a rock from the ground below itself and yelling angrily as it sent it flying towards its unsuspecting opponents.

"_NOOOOOOO!_" Steven screamed out in pure despair as like before, he reached out in vain to stop the events from proceeding. Unfortunately however the Rhyperior's attack connected with the two Pokémon and sent them howling back, obviously instantly fainting them.

The attacks were just too strong.

This _man_ was just too strong.

Time almost even stopped for Steven now as he got up on his knees and his right arm sagged lowly, dropping the red and white spheres he held as a result. His red eyes were wide and tear filled as he watched the Rhyperior in front of him slowly recover from its humongous attack. Suddenly he experienced some kind of déjà vu.

"_Sorry to disappoint you kid but I've already lost once before," he shot back with another confident grin. He heard Daisy sigh at him._

"_Not like this." the boy replied with a glare before he softened his expression and turned his gaze down to his fainted Beedrill. Steven's face fell and he frowned as he watched, his arms folded. "Not like this," he murmured shakily, staring down at the unconscious Pokémon._

"_Not like this."_ Steven thought to himself in his wide eyed, silent crying, finally understanding truly what that Bug Catcher was trying to tell him. "Not like this," he added on in his lower lip trembling. Overwhelmed by his whitewashing the boy lowered his head and stared down at the ground hopelessly. "If this is all I can… I can do then…" he murmured under his breath as he raised up his now free palms to examine them, as if he had missed something weeks ago in his journey. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and he blinked in surprise.

"What you're experiencing is understandable; you have experienced your first tantalising defeat." the ebony dressed man behind him thus explained and Steven gasped once more. "But I can help you _avoid_ this in the future." he whispered down to him and Steven's eyes widened as he raised his head and listened. "I can make every living being in Kanto – nay the _world_ – kneel at your feet." the man explained in a louder tone and Steven only knelt there, listening. "If you will but kneel at mine," he finished in a low toned whisper.

Gathering what remained of his courage Steven gulped. "Wh-Who are you?"

"You have clashed with Team Rocket many times, Steven of Pallet." the man began and Steven slowly turned his head to his former opponent. "Now allow me to introduce _you_ to its Don." he started and opened up his arms in an introducing gesture as he grinned down at the knelt boy. "I am Giovanni Vittorio, Don of Team Rocket and your new leader," the man grinned and Steven's eyes widened as he listened.

His new _leader_.

"Steve!"

He gasped in response and turned his head behind him. Giovanni narrowed his eyes also as he shot his head over in an angry scowl. Sure enough the rocks behind them that previously were blocked off were suddenly shot back with a blast of water.

"No." Giovanni murmured in narrowed eyes.

Misty!

The rocks – now revealed to be the fainting Geodude shot by the angry Rhyperior – all quickly fell from their positions as a result of the Water Style attacks. Nodding to his Rhyperior, it began digging at the ground feverishly and the master himself scowled as he yanked the wide eyed Steven up by his black shirt collar, eyes narrowed threateningly.

"Today you escape with your life, still on your own side of the Wheel of Fate." he spoke and Steven blinked in wonder. Wheel of Fate? "But you will listen to me; _no one_ will believe you. I will see to that." the Don claimed in his dark scowl and Steven shook in his wide eyed fear. "Do not forget that I hold your childish life in my own hands; _I_ am the only man in this world that can stop Richard Scott from tracking you down and _killing_ you." the man further explained and Steven gasped in knowing of the man mentioned. Giovanni slowly gained a light grin. "And if it came down to it… so could I." he added in his growing grin however by now his Rhyperior had finished the large hole it dug and yelled its name over at its master in order to gain his attention.

He turned his head and threw the grunting young boy on his side before walking over to join his Rock and Ground dual Type with a frown. The Rhyperior growled as it leapt with its scowl into the hole of its own creation but its master followed only just as soon as the last of the Geodude had broken through. He gave the wide eyed and watching Steven _(and by now the Water Style attacking Misty and Bill)_ a final, low grin before he backed one single step, his grin low and ominous.

He soon disappeared in the hole.

"Steve!" Misty exclaimed as she ran over, her Poliwhirl in tow and the boy turned his heavy breathing head around, still in his frightened expression. She knelt next to him and looked over concernedly. "You okay?" she asked simply and quietly, frowning and eyes soft. However the boy didn't seem to respond; he only fell onto his hands, red eyes wide and limp.

His first loss, his first _real_ loss.

"_Pff. Yeah right. Me lose like him, that's a good one," he grinned to himself. Daisy rolled her eyes again for the umpteenth time that day._

He now understood what it meant to be on this side of the battle field. His arms felt weak and his body like jelly; maybe this was how he had made _others_ feel.

Maybe this was how he had made _Bill _and _Misty_ feel…

"Steve?" Misty tried again as she winced and lowered her head to her lower right side in some attempt to gain his attention but the boy didn't seem to acknowledge her any further. Awash in his own self indulgence the young Trainer continued to stare at the ground harshly, eyes wide with tears and shaking. "Bill I can't…" the red head frowned in worry as she turned her head up to the young man in question however the Administrator himself was busy as well it seemed.

He stared ahead with a narrow eyed scowl directed at the opened up hole that Giovanni had escaped through.

Conveniently it was now closed up.

"Come on Misty; grab him and get his Pokémon." Bill addressed as he scowled around the underground office. "We can't stay here any longer," the young man claimed as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Misty nodded.

"Okay Bill." she conceded and shook the wide, red eyed boy awake. Sure enough he looked up with his tear stricken frowning face. With a single look from Misty he wiped his nose with a pained sniff before nodding and standing up he recalled his fainted Pokémon. As the three turned however and made for the exit once more Steven couldn't help but turn his head in Giovanni's last direction, eyes tearing up once again as his words echoed in his mind.

"_But you will listen to me; _no one _will believe you. I will see to that."_

* * *

A/N: 16,302 words. IIIIIIIIT'S A NEW RECOOOOORD! *Victory PAUNCH*

Well for this fic anyway. Hope you enjoyed etc, etc; I know _I_ did. =)


	14. Finding Strength Over The Rainbow

**Chapter 14: Finding Strength (Over the Rainbow)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Change"; Steven's Theme – Tracy Chapman. **__Scene __**1**_ _(First Half)_

_**"Babylon" – David Gray. **__Scene __**1**__ (Second Half)_

_** "Trainer Battle II" – Pokémon Anime OST. **Scene **2**; Gym Battle._

_A/N: That 's Reader Traffic Tool's an amazing thing! Honestly you should all check it out! All 114 of you! ;D_

_;p_

_Anyway this is my Christmas present to all you lazy bastards; enjoy._

_**Scene 1**_

"_But you will listen to me; _no one _will believe you. I will see to that."_

Steven lay in the Celadon Hotel's first floor room 109, arms splayed out on the bed he slept in the night before. He previously dressed in his favourite black shirt and usual blue jeans. He left his wrist bands, hat, socks, shoes and his jacket on a chair to the bed's right as he stared up at the ceiling in his depressed frown.

He hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. Every time he was close to sleeping he dreamt of the frightening Rhyperior Trainer.

Giovanni.

He shuddered.

"_I am Giovanni Vittorio, Don of Team Rocket and your new leader,"_

The boy cringed and shivered again; the Mafia leader seemed so _confident_ in his claim that he started wondering…

Did he _really_ want to join Team _Rocket?_

True they had _power_ and seemed to avoid the law a lot but…

He wasn't like _they _were, surely.

"I'm not." he murmured in his desperate and quiet plea, eyes twitching as he winced, near crying again.

He hated himself so bad now. After his huge loss at the Rocket Underground his usual, strong _(over)_confidence wall had been shattered by the intimidating man in ebony. At first in the moment he thought that the reason he lost was because Giovanni cheated. Then he thought that Misty and Bill had interrupted his concentration. Then he thought that he had made a tiny, _tiny_ mistake that could be fixed.

And then it came when Giovanni told him those words he remembered so vividly.

"_Do not forget that I hold your childish life in my own hands-"_

They reverberated in his mind so roughly that he tried to cry himself to sleep with them and it wasn't even just pure _fear_ at the value of his words; it was the simple fact that he had failed to face until now, the one thing that Misty had been trying to tell him for what felt like years.

"_-not your mediocre fighting power," the ebony dressed man claimed in his grin._

"I'm s-sorry." he apologised quietly in his own mouth dryly as his eyes tore up again.

He _hated_ himself for it.

Oh yeah; _Kanto Champion_ all right.

His eyes shut and his shiny tears slowly rolled off his cheeks as memories raced through his head of his own confidence. No let's face it.

_Over_confidence.

"_Well that's… Quite a goal." she said. Steven laughed a little. "You ever wonder what you'd do if you failed?" she asked quietly. Steven's smile left him. Daisy knew he was pretty fragile physically already but decided to chance the question anyway._

"_I won't." he said, narrowing his eyes as he did so. _

"_You're lookin' at Steven Murray the next Kanto Champion! Not just some kid," he introduced rather arrogantly._

"_That's Overlord of Kanto to you!" he shot back and Bill laughed before slapping him a friendly one over the shoulder, leaving him recoiling._

His tears only got worse and he cried again quietly.

His eyes were finally open; he couldn't do this. His parents knew it and now so did he and yet in all the chaos of it he dragged Misty and Bill into it too.

Don't forget Wartortle, Nidorino, Eevee and Caesar.

"You u-useless…" the boy muttered in a shut eyed, hateful scowl directed at himself.

What could he do _now?_ He had already beaten Brock, Misty and Surge so he was a quarter of the way there already and he had to struggle just to get _that_ far. It was no _wonder_ the old Professor back in Pallet was against him leaving. Look where you are, he thought.

Just _look_ at you.

So the question remained; what _now?_ He gulped and calmed himself down as he weighed other possibilities. Joining his father in Viridian's Market business? Maybe… but…

Could he really do that? Or would he screw up _worse?_

"_Know your limitations." Ross frowned at him and Steven growled back uncaring as he glared at him across from the bladed grass in the Viridian Forest. "Only then can you really weigh yourself against your enemy's strength."_

Ross… he probably knew all along but he didn't say anything to spare him this.

His eyes shut again and he mouthed another of his umpteen apologies.

Another idea came into his head however on what to do.

"_I am Giovanni Vittorio, Don of Team Rocket and your new leader,"_

Could he? Could he _really?_ He wondered about that. Maybe… maybe if he _learned_ from Giovanni he could…

"Steve?"

His red eyes widened in a surprised gasp and he sat up suddenly, head snapping over to the creaking door to his right and the small room's obvious entrance. He calmed down however as a frowning Misty poked her red head in, lowering himself once more to flop down on his bed. He sniffed.

"Yeah?" he called out almost monotone and she took it as an invitation to enter. The former Gym Leader frowned as she walked in and shut the door quietly behind her before walking up forward and pulling a chair to sit at his side.

"You okay?" she asked softly, joining her hands in her lap as she leaned forward in a light frown. He turned his head over and smiled weakly back, unable to meet her studious gaze.

"I'm cool." the boy claimed in his weak front. She stared back at him and deep into his eyes for a few seconds though it seemed to last eternally. It was as if she could _see_ him lying to her. He lowered his eyes shamefully and sat up, giving another fake smile as he yawned and stretched. "Think I'll go for a walk." the boy smiled again as he turned to stand, grabbing his socks and shoes on before heading for the door. Misty watched him leave silently with a worried frown on her face.

She said nothing.

His face set in a permanent state of depressing cringes at his own failure, he kept his head lowered as he stalked through the bright, morning city of Celadon. The boy put his hands through in his pockets as he frowned down at the ground, passing by an ever braver stranger. Seemed even _they_ saw him a force to be avoided from.

He didn't blame them; _he_ would avoid himself right now if he could.

He felt a drop of water on his head and blinked up at the sky before receiving two more and soon those drops turned heavier.

Rain.

Somehow it suited.

Suddenly the busy metropolitan area of Celadon was quickly self evacuated by all the quickly changing and miserable citizens, leaving Steven to his own thoughts. Good, he thought; better that way. The hatless young boy didn't even bother fixing his long, brown hair, matted down with the heavy rain. Soon however he reached the city's main square and its beautiful fountain.

He was also the only person there at this time.

The boy stood with his hands in his pockets and admired the flowing fountain of water, head rose upwards as he did so. "What was it all for?" he whispered, more to himself but staring directly and dreamily at the spurting water above him. "G-God." he managed out in a half chuckle, hiccupping once as he lowered his head in a humourless grin, blocking his eyes with his right wrist as he did so.

How could he claim to be _Battling Champion_ of anything let alone the Indigo Conference League's Annual Battle Tournament?

He couldn't even fight right; all he had was 'mediocre fighting power' after all.

With another humourless but silent smile, he stared down at the fountain's trail, his tears silently joining with the rain's drops of water.

"Pathetic." he managed out in a crying chuckle. He guessed it was time to make a decision; he couldn't leave Misty and Bill hanging for so long or even the Pokémon that obeyed his orders. They deserved better than that.

They deserved better than _him_.

It was decided; he'd release the Pokémon under his care, let Misty and Bill go their own ways and head back to Pallet. His parents were probably waiting for him anyway.

"Funny." the boy began to himself in a murmur accompanied with a half humour filled smile as he raised his tear stricken and rain torn face to the sky, allowing the drops to strike his face gently. "Walk through the rain and I get one of those sudden realisation things." he finished with a chuckle before he shut his soft lid red eyes.

So this was how his journey ended; this was how the 'Kanto Champion' had finished, not with a bang but a whimper.

This was the Road of a Champion.

He actually managed to laugh, even if it was a depressing one. "Oh well," he finished, tears falling across his cheeks with the rain as he did so.

"An epiphany?"

He gasped in wide eyes and snapped his head 'round to his right. The interruption's source was a frowning young woman under a plain umbrella, staring back at him. He lost his initial surprise but frowned as before, turning his head away from her stare. He merely nodded.

"Yeah I guess so; sorry for bothering you," the boy murmured over before he turned and began walking off in search of another haunt.

"Wait." the woman called quietly and he did, turning his water logged haired head around in his curious blinking frown. "You look familiar; have we met before?" she claimed, turning her head in a curious stare. He raised a brown eyebrow and sure enough she looked a little familiar herself.

Shoulder length black hair, bright red hair band, soft face features, slim waist, simple blue blouse and long red skirt. She also wore some simple shoes, clearly not prepared for the heavy rain. Seeming luck she carried an umbrella with her at all.

Oh yeah; the Art Class teacher from the Gym. What was her name?

Erika!

"Yeah… I um." he began in a surprised blink as he remembered just _yesterday's _events and embarrassment quickly crept up his cheeks as he did so. "I joined your art class yesterday; it's Steven," he re introduced himself in a quiet murmur. She seemed to understand him however and brightly smiled back at him.

"Oh _yes!_ The little Casanova!" she smiled over and he smiled in an embarrassed wince.

God he couldn't _believe_ he acted like that.

Seemed like an age ago and yet it was only a single day apart.

Strange that.

"Well it's certainly nice to see you again." Erika smiled over at him and he smiled half heartedly back, failing to even bother raising his head as he did so. "You'll catch your death of cold if you stay out here dressed as you are though; you know that don't you?" she asked over in a disapproving frown. He raised his head this time in an uncaring frown and shrugged back honestly.

His needs were less than priority after his 'epiphany'.

Erika frowned hard at him and narrowed her eyes as she turned her head in another disapproving expression. "Come," she ordered as she pulled her right index finger forward and Steven blinked in surprise. However he merely shook his head in a weak looking frown of his own; an obvious refusal.

"I'm cool; as far as things go it'd be an improvement," the boy shot back before turning himself to head deeper into the city however before he could even fathom it his arm was grabbed by the forceful Erika and he gasped in widened eyes.

"I will not allow a child to run rampant in the city to catch its death of cold." she reprimanded at him from behind each other as she pulled at him and he winced as he was yanked. However he quickly let go and allowed her to move him.

Just let her dry you off; make her feel a bit better and then he could leave. It wouldn't be long 'till he'd leave for Pallet.

Not like it mattered much anyway.

_**2**_

He sat down on the inside reception's stair to head in. The smiling Erika soon returned with a towel in her hands and handed him it. He took it gently from her hands and frowned down at it, his long, damp hair dripping on it.

Wasn't even sure he deserved _this_ even.

He sat there for what seemed like hours staring at the towel, deciding whether to use it or not and it seemed his indecisiveness had irked the art teacher behind him. She rolled her eyes and yanked the towel from his grip before rubbing his damp head with it. The boy cringed as she roughly massaged his head in an attempt to dry him. It was over with soon however and the boy frowned once more as she smiled and took the towel from his head, thereby folding it in her wrist.

"Thanks," the boy muttered.

"You're welcome." the woman smiled down at him before turning and walking off, presumably to put the towel away.

Steven frowned ahead of himself in an almost zombie like state, his now dry hair hanging off his head and loose; he almost wished he still had his hat. Probably should have brought it with him.

"All right! Come on! Off with those wet rags!"

He turned his head in his sad frown to find the woman behind him once again. She smiled and joined her hands together imploringly.

"Why?" he simply asked, as if it mattered at all.

"You'll freeze to death in those cold clothes!" the woman claimed in a miffed frown, as if he should have understood it in the first place.

As if he thought it should matter anymore.

"No." he murmured back before standing back up and she blinked in response. "Thanks for drying me and stuff but I gotta go back home; my parents are waiting for me," he smiled weakly in both apology and thanks before turning to head back out the Gym.

"I know about Giovanni." the woman suddenly spoke in her frown and Steven's red eyes widened as he stopped dead. How could she-? "It's all over the news," Erika claimed and the boy's frown slowly turned to a scowl.

_Cowardly twelve year old Pallet boy ran from big Mafia man Giovanni, saved by his friends; one girl and one computer maniac._

His sadness slowly turned to anger.

"I'll bet," he muttered under his breath as he scowled.

"They're making you a hero for standing up to him; you drove the Rockets away from Celadon," Erika spoke and the boy's eyes widened in surprise as he raised his head once more.

_That_ was a surprise.

Tch well…

"Like it matters." the boy muttered again and Erika raised an ebony eyebrow at him. "I couldn't even last a _minute_. I've never been beaten like that before,"

"Ah so he challenged you and you lost." Erika began before smiling at him serenely as before. "It's understandable; Giovanni was said to be the greatest battler in his own day and age and probably still is today and besides, everyone loses once in a while," she added to reassure him but the boy didn't seem convinced. He turned his head to scowl back at her quietly, light tears trickling down his cheeks.

"Not like this." he whispered over at her and she blinked in curiosity. "Not like this," he repeated in his weak scowl.

"_Not like this." the Bug Catcher replied with a glare before he softened his expression and turned his gaze down to his fainted Beedrill._

"You make it sound like the _world_ has ended." Erika chuckled good humouredly but Steven only kept his weakened scowl up, eyes lightly narrowed as he did so. "You lost once and yes I'll admit it could have been better but… it happens," she explained in a small smile but again Steven only scowled back, choosing not to listen it seemed.

"Well what's done is done." the boy admitted lowly as he looked away. "I have to go," he mumbled and turned again to head off.

"Wait!" the woman called once again and the Trainer in question sighed in obvious exasperation, turning with a droop eyed frown.

"What?" he spat at her impatiently.

"You're planning to take the Indigo Conference's League Challenge this year aren't you?" she asked in a business like frown, turning her head curiously as she did so.

He snorted back in his impudent scowl. "In the past tense maybe," he shot back and Erika's face fell even further, as if affected in some way by his mood.

"Then I propose a test." she replied in a growing smile of her own, regaining once more and Steven only raised a brown eyebrow. "A simple Pokémon battle; four on four with standard Gym Battle rules. If you win you may do whatever you wish, if I win then you must put your failure aside and move on. How's that?" she asked simply and Steven blinked.

True he _had_ four Pokémon on hand even right now but…

He just didn't feel like a battle right now and… he was worried he'd lost his feeling of determining how he can win or not with a person's challenge or words since his fight with Giovanni.

Yeah… it's gone.

… Wait hold on; he managed to miss one important fact.

"_You're_ the Gym Leader of this place?" he asked in light interest, taking a step forward as he pointed at her in squinted eyes. She smiled and nodded.

"I believe I am listed as 'The Nature Loving Princess'. Erika Barley; pleased to make your acquaintance," the said Gym Leader re introduced herself with an amiable smiled and even curtsied before she lowered her hand for him to take. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously but took it anyway, shaking it sportingly.

"Steven of Pallet," he merely murmured back and she nodded.

"So what is your reply then, Steven of Pallet?" she asked in her smile as she joined her hands together once more. He sighed longingly for his bed far in Pallet Town, eyes narrowed lightly as he turned his gaze to the floor.

What indeed?

He _could_ face her and take her on terms.

"_Or you could run."_ he thought in his narrow eyed gaze. Just like he had done before.

Just like he had done with everything.

"Okay then…" he mumbled in his narrowed eyes before fingering a Poké ball at his side. "Whether I win or whether I lose." he began this time with a determined expression on his face. "We'll fight with everything we have and we'll see where I end up." he replied as he raised the sphere up to point directly at the Leader's face in his frown. She raised an amused eyebrow back before chuckling and turning her body 'round she ushered him to follow. He blinked but belted his Pokémon back to its resting place before following.

Sure enough he was walked into a stadium of sorts deep within the Celadon complex. It was a simple enough looking stadium for a simple battle – as she had previously stated – but the boy wondered why the place was so empty in the first place.

He figured she might have somehow planned this with some kind of Machiavellian art.

Oh well…

With that thought in his head the boy narrowed his eyes as he walked across the inside and well polished wood of the stadium, his trainers squeaking against the surface. Soon however he found himself on the stadium's right handed side of the 'Trainer's Box', eyes narrowed as he stood with his arms and glove less finger's flexed, as if he were in a western movie.

To tell the truth he couldn't care whether he won or lost today, rather though to _lose_ would be to show this supposed confidence the woman had in him to be misplaced.

Don't even try, he thought to himself.

Just remember Giovanni.

"There is no time limit and I am treating this as an official ICL League Gym Battle!" Erika called over to him and the boy only nodded. "Does this sound fair to you?" she called over.

"Let's just get on with it!" he yelled back, clearly anxious to move on. She merely smiled contrastingly at him before fingering a Poké ball of her own.

"All right then!" she shot back in a growing smile before she drew the Poké ball seductively across her eyes, drooping her chestnut brown eyes as she did so. "Then let us begin!" the nature attuned woman grinned lightly as she spun her Poké ball upwards in a vertical throw to the air. It spun around wildly before snapping itself open and shut, the white energy forming itself into a creature that he was not familiar with.

He reached into his left back jeans' pocket for his Pokédex Version I and wondered uncaringly if it had been affected by the rain. Maybe?

Either way he didn't care.

Regardless he opened up the device and used the 'SCAN' function as he always did before a battle.

_#114 Tangela_

_Classification: Vine Pokémon_

_Blue plant vines cloak the Pokémon's identity in a tangled mass. It entangles anything that gets close._

He stared down unblinkingly at the new entry and merely shrugged, pocketing the device once more. Fingering a Poké ball of his own he raised it up in an unromantic fashion, eyes drooped boringly as he opened up the sphere manually. The white energy formed itself into the attention grabbing Eevee, now transformed into another state; a Flareon. It growled its name cutely at its wide eyed opponent and Erika raised an eyebrow.

"A Fire Type? My you're just _dying_ to win aren't you?" the Gym Leader chuckled, back hand across her mouth as she did so. Steven only frowned back uncaringly, standing limp as before. "Oh well, I suppose we have to get this show on the road; Tangela let's begin with a Poison Powder!" she ordered out with an enthusiastic wave of her hand. The ball of vines, shoes and eyes growled before shooting forward the powder in question. It sprayed across the Flareon's face harshly and the Fire Type defendant whimpered in the obvious status change. "Well things are going smoothly already!" Erika grinned in her own confidence however quickly lost her grin as she looked over to find the limp boy staring back at her uncaringly as his Flareon whimpered in front of him.

Why wasn't he…?

She narrowed her eyes and took another turn in place of his. "Tangela! Ingrain!" she thus ordered and the Grass Type in question nodded once before it narrowed its wide open eyes and snaked its vines downward and under the floor of the Gym's stadium room, clearly giving it some kind of edge.

Though to what Steven didn't seem to care; he merely stood there unblinking and frowning limply as before.

Perhaps he did _not_ care that his Flareon was suffering right in front of him.

Erika's smile slowly gave way to a disapproving frown. "If I did not know any better Steven then I would think you are purposely losing this battle," she stated over, her voice taking on a suspicious tone. Steven shrugged.

"Trying my best," he lamented in his plain frown. She narrowed her eyes.

"Constrict Tangela," Erika ordered her Grass Type and sure enough, one of its vines travelled across the field to grip onto his Flareon. It surrounded the Fire Type and squeezed roughly, eliciting another pained whine from it and Erika's disapproving frown quickly turned angry. "You are not only insulting the Indigo Conference League's Challenge and the ICL itself but you are also looking down upon _my_ Gym and its leadership as _well_ as your own Pokémon young man!" she shot over angrily and Steven only stared back in his unemotional frown. "So what do you have to say for yourself?" the Grass Type specialist asked annoyingly in her light scowl as she folded her arms. He did not respond, only scowled lightly back. "Well?" she pressed on in an angry snap.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about," he murmured under his breath so quietly she could not seem to hear it. She blinked but just barely caught it.

"Excuse me?" she whispered in her growing anger.

"I _am_ trying my best," he shrugged in an attempt to seem honest however she saw through his obvious attempt.

"Don't take me for a fool little boy!" she snapped over at him but he only sulked darkly back. "With our wide circle of information as Gym Leaders we are aware of each Certified Trainer in case they come our way; _you_ have beaten Brock Slate of Pewter, Misty Waterflower of Cerulean and Transient Surge of Vermilion who may I add hasn't lost before in over ten years." she explained quietly but firmly. Steven only sulked once more childishly. "Don't insult my intelligence Steven; you have much more battling skill than you're showing _here_," the woman claimed confidently but angrily and quietly as she haughtily raised her nose to him. His eyes twitched and his lower lip quivered as she spoke and she raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Did she strike a nerve?

"Do I?" he asked over at her as his scowl slowly grew. His arms at his side, once limp slowly grew to life once more and gripped themselves into tight little balls hard. "Do I really?" he questioned, his voice cracked at ends.

"What-" she began in a curious blink.

As Erika claimed to him of his 'battling skill' the ugly memory of Giovanni resurfaced once more and his words, worst of all.

"_-not your mediocre fighting power," the ebony dressed man claimed in his grin._

He couldn't help the painful gurgle in his throat and the tears that climbed all the way back up to his red eyes as he began again. "Oh yeah I'm great." he added in his sniffing and self indulging despair. "If you count getting _destroyed _great _BATTLE SKILL!_" he suddenly screamed out at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing in the large hall. Erika was taken aback and widened her eyes at the crying young boy, his voice hiccupping and reaching a hitch as he did so. Erika narrowed her eyes as she stared over at him, calculating what exactly he was screaming about it seemed.

"What are you _talking_ abou-"

"Giovanni!" he shot over angrily and she winced as he yelled at her. He breathed heavily as he stood. "I'm surprised all your _information_ couldn't reap that one up," the boy added in an annoyed, venomous tone to it. Her expression softened however as she quickly summed up what he had meant previously.

"He broke you down didn't he?" she asked over quietly and he gasped in widened, red eyes, his tears sparkling as he did so.

"Wha-"

"Giovanni Vittorio of Team Rocket." she began and Steven blinked as he listened. "According to history and documentaries he used to be a great man; a visionary. He was even called 'The Child of Viridian's Prodigy' at one point in his life; truly a marvellous Trainer and Battler." she smiled as she explained, all seemingly from memory. "But… something happened fourteen years ago, something that changed him completely,"

"W-What happened?" Steven asked over in a gullibly curious blink.

Erika frowned sadly and looked away from his eyes as she answered him. "His son mysteriously died," she claimed and the boy gasped.

"B-But what does _that_ have to do with-"

"Since then an organisation had secretly formed in the Kanto region just a single year later." she began and Steven narrowed his eyes; he had an idea where this was going. "Organised crime." she uttered in a whisper and he fought the urge to roll his eyes. "And then Giovanni had disappeared from all contact after the so called 'Team Rocket' had been formed." she claimed and Steven blinked as he listened. "To date you are probably the only survivor bar your friend and Transient Surge to have escaped him alive and I think I know why," the woman stated and Steven narrowed his eyes as he wiped at his eyes and sniffed once to rid himself of the tears.

"Why?" he called over and growled, eyes narrowed. "Huh? Tell me!" the boy exclaimed at her and she frowned back.

"If you can successfully defeat me-"

"!" Steven suddenly screamed out at the top of his lungs, his face turned to an angry and ugly scowl, gripping his head tightly between his hands. Erika blinked in pure surprise, his reaction taking her off guard once again it seemed. With renewed confidence it seemed _(perhaps purely through anger)_ the irate young boy thrust his left finger at her angrily and accusingly. "Stand by for _pwning!_" he shot over and she widened her eyes at his sudden change in demeanour. "Scorch! Take 'em _down with an EMBER!_" he exclaimed and the weakened Flareon below him grunted as it raised its head shakily. Sure enough however the Fire Type managed a single but strong Ember attack against the wide eyed Tangela in front of it before it fell to its fainting, unable to battle any longer. "Rrgh!" Steven exclaimed in further annoyance as he saw the Pokémon fall, anger at himself for allowing the Poison status to spread.

However the Ember's aim was true and struck the wide eyed Tangela in the face, causing it to screech out in the Supereffective hit. Erika squealed in annoyance as she realised the vain attempt to move the Tangela due to the previously used Ingrain move. It successfully managed to down the wide eyed Grass Type however and the two Trainers of their now fainted Pokémon snarled up at each other.

Without even uttering a word to each other they threw forth a Poké ball almost simultaneously and narrowed their eyes in mutual annoyance. The spheres opened up and on her side out came a strange Pokémon indeed; in short it looked like a large Venus fly trap. As his own narrow eyed Nidorino popped out of its portable carrier, Steven yanked out his Pokédex Version I once more to scan his target.

_#071 Victreebel_

_Classification: Flycatcher Pokémon_

_Lures prey into its mouth with a honey like aroma. The helpless prey is melted with a dissolving fluid._

"All right." he murmured under his breath and in narrowed eyes he swiftly snapped shut the device and pocketed it once more before returning his attention to the battle. With his Nidorino's superior Speed he leapt to action. "Last like we practiced Nidorino!" he ordered over and the Poison Pin Pokémon nodded in an affirmative grunt before it suddenly shot forward, horn at the ready. Steven quickly realised that it was a dual Grass and Poison Type and thus could _not_ be poisoned with the Poison Point Ability his Nidorino possessed.

But…

"Horn Attack!" he shot out with and his long time partner growled as it rammed its horn into the screeching Grass and Poison dual Type roughly, sending them rolling across the floor.

Erika almost even yawned in a seeming unenthusiastic show. "Lower its speed Victreebel," she yawned thus but Steven only grinned knowingly as he stood opposite her. She raised a black eyebrow as to his intentions but as her Victreebel growled and shook its leaves for its obvious Stun Spore attack she turned her head over in a concerned frown.

Just as she worried, the Nidorino that attacked her Victreebel with its Horn Attack had fallen in a pained roll and in its Paralysed grunt soon disappeared with a puff of smoke.

She gasped in taken aback, widened eyes.

"Now!" Steven exclaimed suddenly. The mechanics added up quickly in Erika's brain as she realised his Double Team evasion but too late it seemed; the Poison Type in question suddenly burst apart the floor boards beneath the Victreebel harshly and growled as it rammed its horn into her Pokémon, cloaked in a brown coloured aura; an obvious Ground Type attack.

Dig!

Now she remembered! Earlier she had been too annoyed to notice but instead of merely _throwing_ his Pokémon out of its ball he had forced the sphere down into the wooden surface below him for his Nidorino to use. He had obviously pre planned this.

And he didn't think he was _worthy_ of intelligence or battle?

Maybe under the right _motivation…_

She knew not to underestimate him anymore anyway.

Her Victreebel grunted in its pain as it crashed upon the floor, a lot of HP lost it seemed but wasting no more time; Erika leapt to action. "Use Sunny Day!" she ordered. The Flycatcher Pokémon narrowed its eyes and ruffled its leaves together as it shook. Through the glass windows above them the sun that previously had gone missing under the clouds was suddenly intensified and shone through harshly. Steven grunted and covered his eyes from the shining attack. His Nidorino landed in its own grunt but growled in annoyance as it shut its eyes from the harsh sunlight like its own master. "Your move," she sing songed over in an amiable smile. Steven looked over in one suspicious, half opened eye before growling back.

"All right Nidorino let's show her what for! End it!" he shouted over and the Poison Type growled in its agreeing nod before it rushed forward, eyes narrowed.

Erika merely stood in her calculative looking smile, folding her arms and leaning to one side as she did so. Steven watched her studiously, looking for some weak spot in her eyes but he couldn't find any. He wasn't even sure through her voice whether he could win or not.

Thanks Giovanni he thought sourly.

Using the same strategy as before the boy had his Nidorino leap at his enemy in an obvious Horn Attack but as he did so, the image of the Victreebel suddenly flickered and his Nidorino flew straight through in a surprised yelp. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Wha-" he blinked as he watched the narrow eyed and transparent Victreebel flicker before slowly disappearing from view.

"Weather Ball," the Grass Type specialist narrowed her eyes and smiled lowly. Out of no where an orange coloured ball of pure energy shot out from Steven's undefended bottom right side. His worry grew but he calmed himself as he quickly realised the Nidorino attacking was another Double Team clone that exploded in a white puff of smoke.

"All right!" he exclaimed out and went for another Dig attack but his enemy expected it and Erika merely smiled back at him knowingly.

Just as he had.

Then he suddenly added up her own strategy.

"No Nidorino wait it's a-"

Now against his will and too late to go back and change, he winced as he watched his Nidorino – his _real_ one this time – leap out of the ground and strike the flickering Double Teaming Victreebel. However as before the Grass and Poison dual Type disappeared in a sudden afterimage, his Nidorino uttering a wide eyed yelp in the miss.

"Once again," Erika yawned once again and Steven gasped, this time in _true_ worry.

"No!" he exclaimed but unable to change anything; even recall his _Pokémon_ he watched the Fire Style Weather Ball crash into his yelping Nidorino, sending it smashing into the audience stands to its right. Steven growled in annoyance as he watched it fall and tumble across the well polished floor. All that HP damage… Maybe it was still kickin' though! "Nidorino!" he called but was met with pure, eerie silence. He gripped his fists together into little balls as he awaited his long time Pokémon's cry but again was met with silence.

No!

"Well it looks as if your Nidorino is out." Erika smiled serenely as she turned her head over to the Poison Type's master and Steven growled back angrily. "You see while having an ace in the hole is a good thing…" she began before slowly grinning. "Having two is better," the woman added in her grin and Steven growled back.

He had to think of something.

When he tried to clever attack her it worked but only for the one turn. Last time when he tried a heavy slug with his Flareon's Ember that worked so… maybe…

All right!

He recalled his Nidorino and patted the sphere for a job well done before yanking out his other sphere. He whispered down to it his order and scowled as he flung it forward in a grunt. Erika watched him in a narrow eyed suspicious look, as if unsure completely of his strategy.

Until she seen the towering form of a Snorlax rushing at her Victreebel. She squealed in a complete mess of her composure and attempted to attain some form of defence but in the irony of it all she was too slow to act and the Snorlax growled as it crashed its flame coloured fist into the taken aback Victreebel. It screeched painfully and – perhaps from the sheer _ferocity_ of the attack – was sent rolling back, crashing into the wall behind the wide eyed woman.

Renewed with a little more confidence it seemed, Steven allowed himself to grin back at her bewildered frown. "Sunny Day not only increases your Victreebel's speed but it boosts Fire Style moves though I thought with Fire being a major Grass Type weakness you'd have known that." he shot over and she narrowed her eyes. "While it's good to have two aces in the hole it's great to have _three_," he added in his grin and his Snorlax grunted before slamming itself down to stare upwards, eyes shut as it quickly fell to sleep.

As of course it usually did.

"Well you've certainly surprised me Steven; as much as I said you would have." the woman claimed over in a growing smile. "But for the first time in years of Gym Battling you have forced me to rely on the one Pokémon I have had since I was but an infant." she spoke out before taking out her Poké ball and frowning over at the boy. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously back and she narrowed her own before throwing the sphere out. "Go!" she yelled and the sphere opened up to reveal a similarly narrow eyed but grinning and presumed Grass Type Pokémon.

Steven narrowed his eyes and scanned the monster with his Pokédex once again for further information.

_#045 Vileplume_

_Classification: Flower Pokémon_

_Its petals are the largest in the world. It fiendishly scatters allergy-causing pollen from its petals._

"All right." he mumbled under his breath before pocketing the device once more and narrowing his eyes forward. What was the best way to deal with _this_ one? With Nidorino and his special Eevee both unable to battle he was fast running out of options however on the plus side his enemy was _also_ a Grass and Poison dual Type and with Caesar's strong and reliable Fire Punch he had some kind of advantage, not to mention the sky's Sunny Day. But…

Something told him – that same feeling in his mind that helped him so much so far – that the Celadon Gym Leader was just _asking_ him to lose, ushering him to charge like he did last time. Brute force may have worked even twice now but again his options were extremely limited.

It was unusual for him to come up dry but now was one of those times.

"Well if you aren't going to move." Erika sing songed over at him and Steven's eyes twitched in response. "Vileplume; let's show him how this is done." she smiled down at her flower Pokémon whom exclaimed its name in joy and agreement. "Stun Spore," she ordered and Steven gasped.

His Snorlax was already slow so there was no Speed issue here to worry about but…

"Caesar! Try and avoid it!" he called but knew it was over instantly when it came to Caesar moving at all. The huge Normal Type glared up at him in indignity and as if offended by his order, it merely stayed put lazily, snoring away. However as soon as the grinning Vileplume's large flowers on the top of its head began to stir so did Caesar; the large and lazy leviathan growled and turned its face in a presumably miffed expression as particles of golden dust fell from the sky and over the Pokémon itself.

The Stun Spore hit.

"Damn!" Steven muttered in narrowed eyes.

No; there was still a way to win this.

He _had_ to win it!

If he didn't he might never find out!

"Caesar!" he called out and the Normal Type _(finally)_ seemed to listen. "Just stay there! Skip your turn!" he ordered and even his _Pokémon_ looked at him strangely. Erika raised a surprised eyebrow.

"I must admit I am intrigued Steven." the Leader called over as she smiled serenely as before. Steven narrowed his eyes back at her. His options were near enough finished and he was pinned in.

Better to _act_ the prisoner rather than be one.

"Oh well. If you _insist_ on this method." Erika smiled in a small chuckle as she even shrugged to show her amiable exasperation. "Vileplume." she called quietly in her smile and the Grass and Poison dual Type leapt to action once more, this time yelling its name as it struck forth forward an Acid attack. Steven narrowed his eyes and waited until it was within range before suddenly recalling back his Pokémon. Erika's eyes lightly widened as she watched in wonder. "What are you _up _to?" she wondered aloud, quietly enough so he couldn't hear her. He grunted as he threw out his next Poké ball after whispering a word to it; it opened up and a narrow eyed Wartortle stood in a defensive posture, its left arm raised up.

Erika suddenly knew his game but it wouldn't work for long.

A green wall of light energy created by the Wartortle dispelled the Acid attack into nothingness before it lowered its arm, the light energy fading from view.

"Well done Steven; you've managed to protect your team from my relentless attack but what_ now, _now that you are open to another?" she shot over in narrowed eyes and Steven narrowed his own. "Oh well; let's end this Vileplume." the Leader smiled down at her Pokémon, receiving a happy exclamation of its own name in reply. She narrowed her eyes threateningly at the worried Steven before speaking her next order. "Energy Ball,"

"Back!" he suddenly exclaimed and sure enough, recalled his also narrow eyed Wartortle. She blinked in wonder at his motivations.

What _now_ she thought?

All he had _now_ was the Snorlax.

Sure enough there it was in full view for her to admire; the large form of the sleeping and Paralysed Snorlax, affectionately nicknamed Caesar. "This is foolish." she chuckled at his expense. "You can't win like this," she claimed but Steven only narrowed his eyes in response.

"_You're_ the one that said I had more battle skill than I showed last weren't you?" he accused and the woman blinked in his claim. True enough she supposed. "Then wait and you will see," he added in a newly grown smirk and she narrowed her eyes.

He _was_ planning something it seemed.

"Finish the attack Vileplume!" she ordered and the Flower Pokémon shot forth the energy ball of Grass Type attack in its attempt to crush the grunting lumber of meat, causing it to flounder around a little as if it were a fish of some kind. However just as soon as the attack ended did the large Normal Type raise up its head in an amiable smile did Erika widen her eyes in surprise. "What?" she called out.

"Now Caesar _now!_" Steven screamed out and _this_ time the large Pokémon did as best it could to leap forward; it pounded its pillow like arms against the floor roughly, vaulting it upwards _(surprisingly high upwards)_ and into a strange and almost humorous looking fat airplane.

"Vileplume! Um." Erika began uncertainly as she watched the narrow eyed leviathan above her slowly turn its trajectory forward and thus downward. However as it did so it raised its large right arm to the sky's sun, causing its clawed fist to cloak itself in Fire.

The Fire Punch.

If her Vileplume was hit with that it was over!

"V-Vileplume u-uh." the unsure Leader blinked in growing worry as the huge and looming shadow of the Snorlax then quickly plummeted down on the two. Steven quickly noticed her freezing and cringed as Caesar's shadow loomed over her. He broke himself into a sudden sprint and yelled as he charged into the wide eyed Erika, thereby pushing her out of the way of the plummeting Normal Type. He had no time to turn and watch the events behind him and so shut his eyes tightly as the two skidded across the floor roughly, the wooden surface shaking painfully.

Felt like an _earthquake_.

"_Vileplume!_" Erika screeched in Steven's ear and the boy in turn cringed painfully as her voice reached his right ear. They finally stopped and Steven gasped as he got up on his knees and hands to snap his head around.

"_Whoa_." he whispered in taken aback, wincing eyes. His Snorlax had created a literal _crater_ in the wooden floor boards and everything else under it, presumably from the sheer force of its Supereffective Fire Punch attack.

The Vileplume underneath it was presumably also underneath his _Snorlax_ whom was also sleeping on _top_ of it.

"Aw man." he mumbled in his pained cringe.

He hoped he didn't _kill_ the poor thing.

Erika grunted as she swatted the boy away before leaping to her feet and running over. She lowered herself and attempted to pull the slumbering Snorlax off her Vileplume whom also was presumably under the huge crater and the face down Normal Type itself. Steven raised himself uneasily and rubbed the back of his brown haired head in his cringe as he walked forward.

… Maybe he should call Caesar back…

The boy winced as he raised Caesar's Poké ball, recalling it as quickly as he could. It formed itself into red energy and shot back in missile form to enter its portable travelling device. Now free, Erika called out her Pokémon's name and found the unconscious creature, cradling it in her arms. It whimpered its name back to her and she quickly turned a scowl up at the blanching Steven.

"How could you _do_ such a thing?" she screamed over at him and he could only flinched as she spoke, shutting his eyes and lowering his head like a told off child.

"I'll admit I was rooting for you until you _demolished_ that poor thing,"

The two gasped and snapped open their eyes, turning to find a lightly smiling Misty and Bill in the doorway to the stadium.

"M-Misty, Bill," Steven called quietly as he looked over, lowering his arm as he did so.

"Hey." she replied in her inviting smile. Along with her own bag she carried the boy's own back pack, his red and white jacket and his old crimson hat.

"Looks like you're back to your old self!" Bill smiled over at him as he gripped the arms of his own back pack and Steven laughed nervously and mirthlessly, lowering his eyes as he did so.

"You _know_ this boy?" Erika murmured over in narrowed eyes.

"Looks like he beat you Miss Erika." Bill stated in his sociable smile before walking over. The Celadon Gym Leader gasped in widened eyes, as if she only just registered this fact. "I take it congratulations are in order?" he asked in an amused raised eyebrow and grin. She sighed and lowered her head, seemingly recovering her posture as she did so.

"Hey." Misty called quietly again as she smiled and walked on over to the boy. Steven frowned back up at her. "So you won huh?" she asked and handed him his jacket. He winced and lowered his eyes away from hers but nodded and took the garment before putting it swiftly on.

"Yeah," he simply stated. The boy was quiet as he stuck on the jacket before turning his attention to the rest of his clothing, including his yellow back pack, black and red wristbands and his hat. She watched him quietly and studiously with a forlorn frown before slowly smiling again.

"Misty?" he asked quietly and she turned her head curiously.

"Mm?"

"Thanks,"

"What for?" she asked in a surprised blink and a second turn of her head. He mumbled under his breath and she couldn't seem to hear him, perking her ears and taking a single step forward. "Huh?" she asked simply and his face twitched harshly, his body shaking; he looked about ready to either leap and shout or break down and cry. Unsure of how to react she merely just waited for him and so the boy stepped forward to catch her in a surprising embrace, hugging her close to him. She gasped in surprise and widened green eyes but did not push him away; she raised her arms ahead to wrap around his back as did he.

She quickly added up mentally why he had thanked her and not just for this.

With that in mind the red head smiled lowly as she returned the hug in a happy squeeze.

The boy let go however and as he slowly pulled back, he exchanged a blinking frown with the watching Misty however he slowly broke into a smile that she found contagious.

For the first time she saw something in the boy that didn't scream his own arrogance.

"Well young man!"

The two blinked and turned their heads to find the smiling Erika striding over to them, her fainted Vileplume recalled back to its Poké ball it seemed. "Mr. Rivers is correct; you have beaten me Steven," she claimed and Steven only shook his head. She raised a surprised raised eyebrow.

"I was lucky. _Really_ lucky," he smiled up at her simply. Misty and Bill both widened their eyes as they heard him, unable to believe him it seemed.

They had expected him to shout and dance as he had done his previous Gym Battle victories and not to mention the _arrogance_.

Erika couldn't help herself in chuckling. "Again you surprise me." she chuckled and Bill and Misty could both not help in laughing aloud. Steven gave himself a mirthless exhale of air to himself, one that sounded more like a laugh as he looked away from the group. The Celadon Gym Leader brought out a case and even Steven knew what was coming next. "Per the ICL branded Pokémon Association and with all of its honours and achievements I permit to you… the Rainbow Badge; please have it," she thus explained in her sociable smile as she opened up the case to show off the bright shine of the badge in question.

Steven's red eyes widened down at it and he looked up at her as if for confirmation. She only nodded down at him. With a small smile on his face he slowly and carefully plucked the Badge from the case's soft inside. He did no jubilations, leapt around not and even restrained himself from shouting.

Instead he raised his Poké balls for his weak Pokémon to all gaze upon the prize they won for their master.

"Thanks guys." he whispered in his smile before pocketing the spheres and Badge. He raised his head in a frown however to lock eyes with the blinking Erika. "Now, what you promised," the boy almost demanded and she raised an eyebrow before gasping.

"Oh!" she remembered suddenly in widened eyes before smiling again and nodding. "Yes," she acceded.

"Why do you think Giovanni left me alive that day?" he came right out and asked in narrowed, pondering eyes. Misty and Bill both gasped to action at his words.

"This is purely theoretical but I have my own belief that because he lost his son years ago he has been looking for some kind of successor for him to take over his organisation," the Gym Leader quickly explained as she joined her hands in her frown. Steven blinked.

"B-But he _told_ me himself I don't have any real battling power," the boy admitted freely and Erika raised an eyebrow, turning her curious stare with the shrugging Bill.

"Then could it be something else?" she pondered aloud quietly as she joined her thumb under her chin. Steven narrowed his eyes.

"What?" he simply shot out with.

"Perhaps you simply _remind_ him of his deceased son?" she tried in a squint of her brown eyes but Steven didn't look convinced. "Well perhaps there's some other factor here that we're not sure on." she admitted in a defeated sigh and Steven growled in impatience as he turned his gaze to the floor. "Don't worry; I shall contact you via Bill should I discover anything." she smiled and Steven blinked up at her before smiling back lightly. "Well then… where next?" the woman asked interested in a raised eyebrow and Steven gained a small smirk of his old look returned.

"I'm headin' for the next ICL Badge," the boy admitted as he laid a hand on his hip. Misty turned in a smile of her own.

"Guess I'm joining you." the former Gym Leader claimed and the boy turned curiously. "_Someone's_ gotta stop you from dying out there," she stated jokingly and the two grinned, sharing a fist together.

"Looks like I'm coming with you then Misty and of course Steven." Bill chuckled and the two raised their heads to smile at him. "I owe you both," he added.

"Try not to get caught up in _too_ much trouble now," Erika stated in a raised eyebrow and smirk of her own.

"Nah; I'm _responsible_." the boy shot back as he edged his old arrogant thumb to his chest. Misty and Bill instantly burst out laughing and even Steven couldn't contain his own hilarity. Erika chuckled lightly as she watched the laughing boy with narrowed eyes.

She wanted to say it but she decided to leave it for fate to decide.

A/N: Caesar for the fucking WIN.


	15. The Truth and The Rocket

**Chapter 15: The Truth and The Rocket**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Kanto Bicycle Theme" – Pokémon Anime OST.**__ Scene __**2.**_

_**"Vegeta" – Dragonball Ultimate Battle 22 OST. **__Scene __**3.**_

_** "Mist" – Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood OST. **Scene **6. **(Second Half)_

_**"Pyramid Cave" – Sonic Adventure 2 OST. **__Scene __**8. **__(Second Half)_

_** "Foul Water Falls";** **Wartortle's New Theme – Wario Land 5: The Shake Dimension. **Scene **11** (Latter end)._

_A/N: W-WUT DUS THAT CHAPTAH NAIME MEEN KENRAI?_

_**Scene 1**_

"And we just add a hint of garlic and…" Amanda began in a slow smile as she raised the small piece of garlic before finally placing it on top of the delicious dish. "Voila!" she grinned as she showcased off the dish to the watching camera. The live audience watching all gave obligatory applause and Amanda smiled as she bowed modestly. "Thank you, thank you!" she smiled however as she rose her head back up she frowned sadly. "But I'm afraid that's all we have time for today." she admitted in a mockingly sad tone but it seemed the audience bought it.

"Awww!" they all chorused gullibly and Amanda smirked inwardly.

Had them in the palm of her well manicured hand.

"As always I had a _lovely_ time; thank you _all_." Amanda began insincerely and as she spoke the ending music to the show began to play. She turned to walk off but faced the audience as she did so, blowing kisses every now and then, the audience _(particularly the men)_ screaming for her. However as soon as the long brown haired woman was out of sight and back stage she scowled and ripped off her dainty white apron. "Idiots." she spat quietly as she stormed down the hall. "Makeup! Where's my makeup?" she suddenly screeched out impatiently and a running maid caught up with her, gasping for air as she manicured the young woman's nails.

Amanda rolled her eyes.

Such a _demanding_ job.

With barely any room for the poor following maid, Amanda stormed into her dressing room, eyes narrowed and scowling harshly before plonking herself in her seat, crossing her legs as she did so and resting her right cheek in her open right palm. She sighed long as the running maid attended to her left hand, manicuring it as quickly as possible.

"Such a _hard_ day today." she lamented as she frowned. "So _sick_ of cooking so much; look! I have _stuffing_ on my dress!" the woman exclaimed angrily as she showcased off the supposedly ruined garment in question. The wincing maid merely nodded in agreement.

"Yes Miss Nicole," she murmured in quiet agreement.

"I mean _honestly!_ Do they expect me to _drown_ in cooking?" the world class Chef further explained annoyingly. The door to her room knocked however and the brown haired woman snapped her head over in a surprised gasp.

"Yes?" she asked.

Was it him?

"Sky piercing Rockets," a deep, male voice spoke behind the door and Amanda rolled her eyes.

It was.

"Let him in." she ordered wistfully and sure enough the bodyguard at her door opened up the door. A frowning and well dressed man walked on through, accompanied by another man, dressed all in black and in a classic Team Rocket Grunt uniform.

The first man however was the _leader_ of the organisation stated before; the Don.

"Giovanni." Amanda smiled over as the maid attended to her fingers. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" the woman asked in a raised eyebrow. He wore a black felt trilby hat, long dark coat, well ironed trousers, simple black shoes and carried a cane with him. The man's suspicious eyes dated over from the watching woman to the maid on her side. Amanda shook her head. "Don't worry about her; she's under my thumb," the woman claimed but the man narrowed his eyes anyway.

"If you say so." the man murmured. "So another successful show Miss Nicole?" Giovanni asked in a raise of his black eyebrow, smiling lightly as he did so. Amanda forced a smile of her own, a mirthless one.

"Of course!" she responded brightly. "Every man in Kanto wants my hand in marriage it seems, I can cook, clean, sew, battle; I have it all," she giggled girlishly and Giovanni chuckled down at her.

"So it would seem,"

"I take it everything went belly up in Celadon's branch?" the woman asked and Giovanni nodded his head slowly as he smiled back.

"Yes,"

"I even heard it was broadcast on national television that you left a young boy alive,"

Giovanni merely smiled as he nodded. "That's correct,"

Amanda raised a curious, brown eyebrow as she frowned up at the man. "And yet you're surprisingly calm about all this?" she asked.

"As long as I can dictate the Wheel of Fate's direction then all will be well for the organisation," he claimed confidently in his strong smile, gripping his cane with both his hands. Amanda stared at him for a few moments before laughing heartily.

"There you go again Giovanni; you and your cryptic metaphors. You should just say what you mean one day; you're _far_ too intelligent to be playing with words the whole time," the woman admitted in her grin and Giovanni only grinned back.

"In any case." the man began as he lost his smile and frowned down at her for a serious change of pace. "The Mewtwo Project is losing momentum; I need you to take a leave of absence from your television program and chase a lead left from the scene," he ordered quietly.

Amanda's eyes widened in surprise as she listened. "But wasn't Gideon in charge of-"

"Gideon has disappeared; he has taken the test tube with the Mewtwo Project itself and betrayed us," the Don shot back in narrowed eyes and Amanda gasped.

She had no _idea_.

Why would he…

"Why would he-"

"I always had a sneaking suspicion that he would try to run from us but I could never pin point when; unfortunately I have miscalculated here and I need your assistance in this matter. I have my hands full with the Legendary Birds' forging," he claimed and Amanda sighed through her nose as she looked down away from her leader.

"Do you think he'll-?"

"I have no _doubt_ he will." the man shot back, as if reading her mind.

Damn, she thought.

Would Gideon _really_ go as so far as to _destroy_ what they worked so hard to _create?_

He always had that tortured hidden good guy trait in his character when she thought on it. Her face turned in disgust when she thought of the old man in question.

Disgusting old man.

How _dare_ he do this?

"Amanda." Giovanni called and the woman snapped her head up in a surprised blink. "I don't want him killed; bring him _and_ the project back alive or there will be nothing left for you," the man claimed in his narrow eyed frown. The woman nodded gravely and slowly.

"You ask me she ain't got a fuckin' chance," the man at Giovanni's side muttered hatefully under his breath as he scowled over at the woman. Amanda narrowed her eyes and found him as Richard Scott.

The Scourge of Vermilion.

"I'm not taking Richard with me am I?" she asked in narrowed eyes and Giovanni shook his head in a negative.

"No. Benjamin Rivers will accompany you; he is best suited to this mission," the Don claimed and Rick at his side couldn't seem to help but let out a snort, presumably at the mention of Benjamin. Amanda gained a small, satisfied smirk on her face.

"Excellent." she replied brightly. However the woman turned her head up to her leader in an inquisitive frown. "What about that boy you left alive? What should we do about him if he interferes?" she asked.

Giovanni regained one of his calculative, knowing smirks as she spoke. "Do not worry about him or his companions. I have plans for him," the man claimed and Amanda inwardly shook in fear.

She didn't envy that kid.

"Very well sir; I'll leave as soon as possible," she claimed in a sigh and Giovanni nodded in appreciation. She knew better to argue with the Don.

"Thank you Amanda; good day and good luck in your mission." he called out before turning and heading out the door, closing it behind him and leaving Richard and Amanda both alone in the room.

Besides the maid of course.

"Hello Richard." Amanda greeted in a sociable smile as she turned her head to the side. "How are you?" she asked amicably, forging a half amused smile on her face as she watched his reaction.

As always he was angry and thinly veiled.

"Fan fuckin' tastic." the young man shot back in an annoyed narrow of his eyes. "How's Ben?" he asked in a lightly amused, raised eyebrow of his own. Her body bristled but only lightly as he spoke but she visibly lost her smile.

"How should I know?" the woman dismissed off the matter with a wave of her hand, shutting her eyes and turning her head indignantly as she did so.

"Oh no reason." the man smirked back down at her. She reopened her eyes and lowered her hand as she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "Other than the countless times you _fucked_ him," he added in a wry grin and folding of his arms as he did so. Her eyes flared up to him instantly at his accusation.

"How _dare_ you!" the woman shot back in an angry turn of her face however she couldn't mask the red tint to her cheeks. His smirk only grew as he seemed to register this fact; his eyes hovered over her crimson cheeks.

Damn him!

"I'll thank you to keep your nose out of what I may and may not do," the indignant chef shot back at him. She was vaguely aware of the maid at her side shaking.

Probably chuckling one at _her_ expense.

That woman was _fired_ the minute this insufferable child was cast out.

"That's a given," Rick replied simply in his grin and she blinked in response.

What did he mean…?

"Oh!" her eyes widened and he couldn't help himself in cackling a little laugh to himself it seemed. The dirty…! "Your childish little anecdotes are _not_ amusing!" the woman snapped at him angrily, her face red with both embarrassment and anger. Eventually _(and finally she thought)_ the man calmed down.

He sneered down at her contemptuously however. "So when can I expect him back?" the man requested and Amanda growled back.

How _dare_ he.

"I simply do _not_ know what you are talking about," she spat quietly at him as she scowled and turned her face away from him, lowering her right arm for the next manicure, her left one finished it seemed.

He snorted, this time in an impatient scowl. "Come on bitch you've had your fun with him; I need the little prick so where is he? I don't have time for games," the man requested in his growing anger and impatience.

"Oh please." Amanda sniffed in her further imminence as she rolled her head upwards quickly away from him, shutting her eyes as she did so. "I just have _no_ idea who you're-"

He suddenly stalked on over towards her in his angry scowl and her fear instincts instantly kicked in. Her maid at her right side however got to her feet to stand in the man's way.

He of course did not look the least part intimidated.

He muttered something before angrily swiping a fire arm in his left hand, sending her yelping to the ground in a pained tumble. Amanda watched in widened eyes but steadied her nerves.

Do not allow him to see you fear him.

The man growled as he lowered himself and yanked the woman up through her apron dress, eyes narrowed hatefully. "I won't ask you again bitch." the man hissed through his teeth and Amanda stared back in her attempt at a poker face with quiet and ragged breaths. "_Where_ is my partner?" he asked in his narrow eyed anger. She opened her mouth to speak.

"I have _no idea_-"

Rick abruptly let go of the young woman and let out a lung filled scream that seemed to embody all of his repressed anger. However he wasn't finished even then; he snapped his pistol up and pulled the trigger half way to her face.

"Rick!"

His eyes widened and he stopped everything in a gasp, Amanda following him suite.

"I'm right here," the voice's owner claimed softly and he snapped his head around in a narrow eyed scowl, distrustful and hateful as always.

A young man walked out of the shadows, dressed in the same Grunt wear as he. Rick's eyes narrowed and he even grinned a little.

"Ben," he greeted and the young man smiled woefully as he nodded lightly. Amanda slowly began to steady her breathing and regained a fake smile as she turned her head over to the new face.

"Why h-hello! You must be _Richard's_ partner! I've heard _so_ much about y-"

"Ah cut the bullshit bitch and give me _some_ credit." Rick scowled down at her angrily as he turned his head down at her. She did stop but scowled back lightly. "I ain't as dim witted as you _think_ I am ya know." he growled quietly down at her before slowly raising back up his fire arm to rest its muzzle on her forehead. Her eyes lightly widened again but she gave no show of her fear once again. "You're a brave little girl aren't ya?" he grinned and Ben at his back narrowed his eyes.

"Rick," he called quietly.

"Ooh look at those daggers in your eyes; they _cut_ through my _soul_," the man mocked as he grinned down at her. Her breathing rate was hitched and high but she tried to stabilise it; it didn't seem to go down well unfortunately for her.

"Rick!" Ben tried a little more forcefully but all in vain.

"I bet I could make you lick the shit off my _boot_ with one of these bullets." the man chuckled ominously before his weapon gave off a worrying click sound. She couldn't help but flinch; Richard Scott was known for his intense anger.

And his reputation as a growing loose cannon.

"Rick stop!" Ben's useless voice came from the man's right side and again he was not heard.

"Yeah…" Rick began again as his grin grew. "Let's give that a try shall we?" he asked quietly, the first time she had ever heard him _talk_ so low.

He meant this.

Immediately however before he could even _try_ to carry out his threat the narrow eyed Ben leapt into view, arms raised outwardly to his two sides in some attempt to protect the woman.

"Let her go Rick," he warned quietly and the man's eyes narrowed hatefully once again.

"Get the fuck out of this _Benjamin_," Rick shot back in his venomous tone and scowl but the young Rivers' family member was not to be swayed it seemed.

"There's no _need_ to kill her!" Ben hissed over at him in narrowed, unafraid eyes. It was something Rick was not used to seeing, something he was unfamiliar with.

Something he was _uncomfortable_ with.

In growing haste and anger Rick grunted as he swatted the young man's face but it did little to send him packing. Registering this with a surprised expanding of his eyes he yelled again as he sunk his left knee into the young man's chest.

Finally he collapsed to his knees.

This time Rick seemed to grin, a feeling of superiority washing over him once again as he watched the wide eyed Amanda stare down at the grunting Ben. "What's the matter Amanda?" he grinned down at her and she scowled back up at him wordlessly. "You _mad?_" he gave her a trollish grin down at her as he spoke. He only chuckled however as she didn't seem to respond, kicking the grunting body of the weakened Ben below him. "Come on kid; we gotta move." he ordered before turning and heading off. Ben growled in his pain before attempting to follow but with the wind positively knocked out of him it proved to be a fairly difficult task.

However the young man stopped just outside of the open door and turned his head with a light grin in the glaring woman's direction. "You'll want to _think_ than act with me honey; I ain't a fuckin' idiot. Just a warning for next time," he chuckled ominously before walking on through. Ben followed him in his pained grunt, able to follow in his weak padding steps.

Meanwhile Amanda allowed herself to breathe heavily as she turned her head away from the two; that man was dangerous.

Even to his own team mates.

Why did Giovanni _keep_ him in the organisation then?

Probably because of his high success record she thought.

Even _she_ had to admit, the Mewtwo Project couldn't have gotten as far as it had as quickly as it had without Rick's own assistance. She was vaguely worried with each victory he accumulated that he would make Admin.

Giovanni certainly wasn't a fool; he could see the potential that Rick exuded but it seemed he could also see the _liability_ that he was.

Amanda's grin slowly resurfaced as she came upon that subject.

Yes; she had nothing to worry about, absolutely _nothing_.

With that the Rocket Admin and World Class Chef hummed a little tune to herself as her maid attended to her right hand.

_**2**_

"Cycling Road huh," Steven murmured as the group of three walked onto the labelled Route Seventeen.

"That's what it says." Bill smiled in reply as he looked up from his Town Map.

After passing through Celadon and wishing the Leader a goodbye the group moved on to the next area in their map with an Official ICL Badge; Fuchsia City but through 'Cycling Road' and Route Seventeen they lacked the one thing needed to get through.

A bicycle of all things.

Fortunately however they managed to persuade the guard at his station to be let through though only with a mention of the Kanto Professor Oak's name and the ICL's name of course.

Misty had to admit however as the group walked down Route Seventeen that she had seen a significant change in their battling companion Steven. She watched him studiously first with a frown before slowly turning into a smile. He turned his head curiously as if he felt her gazing at him. She blinked and blushed lightly before coughing and turning her head back around to her front. The young girl caught him smiling back at her however as he turned his head back to his own front.

She felt her own smile returning.

"So!" Bill began happily as he turned his head between the two at his two sides. "Haven't heard you two argue just yet," he pointed out suddenly and the two blinked over at him as if surprised by his comment.

"We do not _argue!_" Misty shot over, clearly offended by his claim. Steven however slowly regained a grin of his old personality and spoke over her.

"Yeah, Misty's right Bill!" he replied in his smile before folding his arms as he turned his head down to the ground, shutting his eyes as he further spoke. "It was clearly _me_ that won the debates we had though," the boy claimed and lightly opened his right eye as if to sneak a peek at the two. Misty couldn't help but grin even though she was slightly irked by his claim.

"You wish!" she shot over and he turned his head in a light grin. "You barely had a point to _make_ every time!" the red head claimed but Steven was one not to be swayed.

"Nah I just _let_ you win when you think you really did," the boy claimed arrogantly as he folded his arms. He pry opened one of his eyes in his obvious attempt to watch for his results.

"You little…!" she muttered in seeming anger but couldn't help from grinning and leaping over. Immediately the two children caught each other in an embrace and they laughed as they rolled across the grass. Bill face palmed as he watched.

"Kids'll be the death of me." he lamented quietly in his light smile before raising his head. His eyes widened as he caught them rushing down the hill in a simultaneous scream. "Uh oh." he murmured in surprise before wincing and running off after them.

Surprising how quickly a seemingly innocent situation can turn on him.

Damn kids!

Easy Bill; they saved your life.

With that in mind the former Administrator pooled his energy resources to chase after the rolling and exclaiming pair. The two however were scheduled to smash against a junction that led between two roads; the Cycling Road. Bill's fear instantly grew.

Oh no; they're heading straight for it!

"_I'm not gonna make it!" _he thought furiously in wide eyed worry as he vainly ran for the young pair.

Knowing his luck they'll probably end up concussed or thrown in the river below them!

Oh _no!_

However unbeknownst to the worry wart Administrator, the grit toothed Steven _(as best he could given the circumstances)_ yanked out a Poké ball before yelling and throwing it forward as they rolled.

It was not an easy task it seemed.

Out popped his huge Snorlax blinking in pure surprise as it laid its huge back against the junction, arms wide at its two sides. As expected the rolling duo crashed into the then grunting Snorlax's large belly, clearly causing it discomfort. Misty cringed as she pulled herself up and Steven smiled up at the large Normal Type.

"Thanks Caesar." he thanked quietly but the Sleeping Pokémon turned its indignant look down on its master with a light pout, as if miffed by his request. He winced and recalled it silently with a murmuring apology.

Had to be careful in the future, he thought.

"Guys!" Bill called as he ran down the hill with widened eyes. The two stood to their feet and smiled as they waved toward him but far off behind them the sound of revving engines got their attention.

"Steve do you hear that?" Misty tried quietly as she turned her head and the red capped boy blinked as he followed suite. Misty gasped at the sight that awaited her and Steven narrowed his red eyes.

"What is it guys?" Bill huffed as he finally caught up, sighing his breath through as he did so.

"_That's_ it," Misty replied in a quiet whine as she pointed behind her. The former Administrator craned his neck up and narrowed his eyes to see ahead of him.

He also gasped.

Sure enough the revving engines were motorbikes all with large and worryingly looking men.

A gang.

"No!" Bill whispered in narrowed eyes and Misty turned in curiosity.

"What?"

"We have to go! Now!" he hissed down at the two.

"Why?" Steven asked in a curious turn of his head as he switched his head 'round to turn curiously at the young man behind him.

"Don't argue!" Bill shot back in quickly frustrated, widened eyes. Steven and Misty were already surprised by the young man's behaviour; if the usually docile young man was acting like _this_ then…

Maybe they _should_ get out of-

"Heeeey!"

The three instantly stiffened in simultaneous gasps.

"Oh no." Bill murmured quietly.

They turned to find the bike riding men all surrounding them as quickly as they could count.

Suddenly the group's morale worsened.

So this is why the guard didn't want them to leave without some kind of a bicycle Steven thought.

Oh well, too late now he thought with a wry, humourless grin.

"Well, well, well, well," one of the men grinned over at them as he set his motorcycle down to rest, the engine still revving. Steven's feet shook with the amount of engines revving around him; he wondered if the bridge shook at all. As if it might even give way suddenly.

He should be so lucky.

"Hello!" Bill smiled warmly in some obvious attempt to pass off the situation but Misty and even Steven could see what it was to amount to; their fingers readied near their Poké balls. "I hope you don't mind us travelling across the Cycling Road-"

"_Cycling_ Road?" the first man that spoke scowled over at him in a quiet whisper as he listened and Bill's face blanched instantly. "This is _our_ road friend." the man added in his almost hurt expression. Bill held back from cringing as a man behind him grunted in agreement by shoving the brown haired computer maniac. "Can you believe these three?" the man grinned and his comrades began to chuckle along with him. "Have you _ever_ seen little shits like this in your life boys? Huh?" he asked in his wild grin as he got off his bike and made over world gestures, clearly over the top. His comrades of course however all yelled and grunted in agreement. "So the question remains then boys, what should we _do_ with 'em?" the young man grinned as he turned his head over to the three and Steven snapped his head 'round to scowl back at him.

His red eyes narrowed however; he recognised this man. The Biker seemed to recognise him as well as the man's own eyes narrowed and he squinted. "Hold the fuckin' bike here." the man chuckled. "It's _you!_" he laughed and even his companions all murmured in unknowing. Steven gasped; that guy; the Biker he fought! "So ya weren't satisfied with losin' outside Celadon but ya had to come here to get fucked huh kid?" the Biker grinned over.

Lao his name was, Steven remembered that much.

"I didn't lose," Steven murmured over in narrowed eyes and Lao instantly burst out laughing, his unsure companions following him.

"He didn't _lose_ boys!" Lao laughed and the men all roared with their own laughter.

"Steve," Misty whispered and the boy turned his eyes over to her on his right side.

"Yeah?"

"We gotta find some way to distract them,"

"Maybe they'll let us go if I battle them,"

"Are you nuts?" she hissed over at him almost angrily. "We don't have _time_ for you to be-"

"Yo!"

The two gasped out of their conversation and found the scowling Lao looking in their direction. "You better not be talking and leaving us out of it." the Biker shot over quietly and threateningly before slowly smiling ominously. "We're your _friends_," he added in his grin but Steven growled back.

Oh yeah, he thought sarcastically.

_Friends_.

Even to Steven it was clear these men meant some kind of harm; the question was _what?_ And the other was could they even escape?

They had them surrounded and _way_ outnumbered…

Okay let's look at the statistics; calm down, he thought. Remember what Ross said.

Between Misty and himself they both carried six Pokémon in total.

His Wartortle, his Nidorino, her Shellder, his special Eevee, her Poliwhirl and his Snorlax. Their fighting power was around the thirties and forties in terms of Levels.

These men probably carried two each between 'em; he remembered that Lao guy only had two and at Level Twenty each probably. Okay so they had the edge in terms of quality but…

He was still worried.

His old confidence was shattered and he was worried his Pokémon felt the same and Misty?

Lord who knows, he thought.

Think Steven. _Think_.

"_I could save Bill and Misty at least_." he thought in narrowed eyes as his breathing grew heavier, the grinning men exchanging glares with him. It only made him all the more worried. _"But my Pokémon would have to agree_." he finished in a humourless and quiet chuckle, luckily alerting the enemy group not. What _really_ made him worry though was the staring.

They didn't act, only stared, waiting for him to make a move.

Dammit _move_ already!

All right _fine,_ he thought.

Thinking first however he quickly remembered how Misty and Brock earlier got at him for how valuable the National ICL Badges were and so he fingered the four Badges he had won so far; the Boulder, Cascade, Thunder and Rainbow Badges. Making sure his enemies could not see him executing his next move he clutched them tight within his right hand into a tight little fist before he finally _(and carefully)_ exited the contents of his palm into his companion's behind him. Misty widened her eyes but held herself back from gasping aloud so as not to alert the watching and murmuring crowd.

Steven didn't know if she could guess his thoughts but regardless she quietly and discreetly pocketed the ICL Badges anyway away from prying eyes.

All right; good, he thought… Now…

The boy's red eyes widened and he grunted as he spun around to toss a Poké ball at the wide eyed Bill and Misty's feet. A Jolteon growled to attention and Steven grunted as he roughly shoved the yelling Misty and Bill atop the Electric Type Pokémon.

"W-Whoa!" Bill exclaimed as he fell on top of the Lightning Pokémon, Misty squealing as she landed on top of _him_. In spite of the current weight on its back the Jolteon grunted out its name before suddenly shooting off back towards Celadon City, up the hill.

"Wait!" Misty called after him but Steven gave her a single look and light but weak smile before turning his head and scowling. He grunted as he threw forth a Poké ball forward to reveal his narrow eyed Nidorino in full glory.

"_COME ON!_" the red capped boy roared as deeply and as intimidating as he could. He yanked his arms across to his two sides strongly in some attempt to appear scaring and inviting. "_You want a battle? I'll take you all on AT ONCE!_" he screamed out in a confident claim, eyes widened in his seeming anger. The Bikers all watched him studiously with some kind of morbid interest and pure amazement, perhaps at his sheer _courage_.

Though it was anything _but_; Steven's eyes narrowed and he grit his teeth, breathing heavily and worrying like a banshee.

Then finally they all burst out laughing.

"You got some _serious_ balls kid!" Lao laughed over at him but Steven only scowled back, his face twitching in growing fear. "Ya know what? I _like_ ya!" he grinned as he pointed over at the boy. He raised a brown eyebrow as the Biker did so. "Though he seems a little on the young side to be joinin' us huh fellas?" the young man grinned as he turned his head around to receive agreeing chuckles. Steven's fear quickly grew again in knowing.

"Nidorino." he whispered out in his grit toothed, wincing worry. "I'm sorry; I'm gonna need your help for this. I know it's selfish." the boy whispered out. The Poison Type beneath him however merely turned its head and nodded as it grinned back at him. He couldn't help but crack a smile of his own.

The loyalty it showed him even now.

His eyes shut and he stood gripping his fingers together in pained fists. He barely had any more time to make things right with Wartortle, his Snorlax and his Eevee… but… with this…

Maybe they'd understand.

A Biker moved off his motorcycle to walk on over to Lao; the seeming leader of this gang. He leaned into the young man's ear and began whispering. Lao blinked in seeming surprise and Steven narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Probably deciding how they'd kill him.

"What?" Lao hissed as he snapped his head around to the man. He winced and shrugged in response. "Fuck!" he hissed again before turning his scowl on the wide eyed Steven. However he soon regained his grin and as he did so he spoke. "Well boys we better get to work! The boss is on his way!" he called and the motorcycle men all instantly roared to life, successfully startling the gasping young boy.

"Here they come!" he hissed over to his Nidorino whom merely nodded gravely in response, its horned head held lowly.

_**3**_

Lao was the first to send out a Pokémon; a Koffing, the one he beat before but it didn't end there. The men at his two sides threw out their own Pokémon, a Mankey and Voltorb.

So they wanted to do this unofficially; all right!

"Get the little shit!" Lao laughed madly as he pointed to order. His Koffing exclaimed its own name exuberantly before it expelled forth a toxic smoke from its mouth, directly for his Nidorino. Steven wasn't worried about _that_ but his quick crimson eyes darted between the sitting Mankey and Voltorb worryingly.

Attack already!

"Give 'em a hand boys!" one of the laughing Bikers joined in with a similar grin and sure enough the two watching Pokémon leapt forth to assist its ally. Steven's grin returned.

Yes!

"Nidorino, go for it; Horn Attack!" he yelled out and thrust a finger forward. The Poison Type did and growled as it leapt fearlessly through the toxic cloud harmlessly before it smashed its horn into the wide eyed Koffing. The levitating ball of gas groaned its own name before falling to the ground in a soft thud, unconscious. Steven didn't want to lose any momentum and so yelled for his Nidorino to follow through with a similar command to the enemy's Mankey before anyone could see him move. True to his words his long time Poison Type partner grunted as it leapt again for its narrow eyed enemy but it seemed the Mankey was ready for its opponent.

"Seismic Toss the little fucker, Mankey!" the Mankey's owner guffawed and sure enough it grabbed hold of the wide eyed Nidorino but something seemed amiss. The Biker narrowed his eyes as he leaned in forward to find the Poison Type Pokémon flickering. "Wha-" he mumbled out as he watched. The Nidorino soon disappeared along with its strange flickering and Lao surely caught on with a widened gasp of his eyes.

"It's a fuckin' trap Ruben!" he screeched out angrily but the blinking Biker turned his head over in a curious expression, as if he had never heard of the concept before.

"Double KICK!" Steven yelled out and his Nidorino shot out from no where, yelling its own name triumphantly as it smacked its feet offensively across the wide eyed Mankey's face and like its ally before it, it fainted. Even Steven was surprised by his Nidorino's current physical strength but he had no time to be impressed; his _(and the rest of his Pokémon)_'s life were on the line.

"You little _fucker!_" Lao exclaimed out angrily but Steven didn't let it deter him. He gasped out quietly as his head darted over to the discreetly approaching but swift Voltorb from his Nidorino's rear.

"Nidorino!" he called out in some attempt to warn it. Sure enough the Poison Type was used to its own master's way of thinking and so snapped its head around to growl as it locked its horn with the Voltorb's charging, rolling attack.

"Spark it! Yeah!" the Voltorb's master guffawed out animal like as he rested on his motorcycle. Steven's eyes widened as he watched the Voltorb state out its name proudly before it suddenly ignited itself in electricity. Steven's Nidorino widened its eyes and yelped in the pain as it was sent skidding back from the Spark attack.

"Damn!" Steven winced as he stood in his worried scowl; that probably took off a lot of HP damage. He may not be able to hold out much longer with just Nidorino… unless… "Nidorino!" he called out and the Poison Type growled to action as it turned its head over. "Stand and lock your horn; wait for the Voltorb!" he called out and the Poison Type nodded before following as ordered.

"You're too rich!" the Voltorb's owner laughed out before pointing forward. "Spark the little shit; fuck its _ass!_" the Biker yelled in laughter in his own order and the Voltorb – regardless of his strange wording – followed through. It rolled forward with lightning speed but this time Steven had the luxury of catching it on time. His eyes narrowed as he watched the space between the two lessen until finally the time was ripe.

"_Now!_" he yelled out and his Nidorino's eyes widened; it knew what to do. "_HORN DRILL!_" he screamed out just as the Voltorb made contact. The Biker watching halted his laughter almost immediately at the young boy's voice and watched; the Voltorb screeched painfully as the Nidorino's horn pierced the Poké ball look like exterior.

Downed.

Some of Steven's former confidence began to rise up but he pushed it back down; can't grow complacent.

"M-My Voltorb." the Biker lamented in widened eyes, his lower lip quivering. "M-My V-Voltorrrb," he murmured out in a crying voice however his companions either seemed to ignore his existence or rolled their eyes at his behaviour.

"All right!" Steven exclaimed before he rose up his Poké ball to recall the Nidorino successfully. He went into his belt to retrieve another for the next round. "Now I'll-"

His eyes widened and he stopped automatically in a wide eyed gasp.

A sharp object suddenly pierced his stomach and he slowly turned his head down to find a blood covered knife thrust in his lower stomach to his right. A grinning Biker had gotten through to his position; it had only been a matter of time. The Biker chuckled as he yanked the knife out and Steven coughed out blood as he staggered forward to fall on his knees. He could barely breathe now and what he _could_ breathe hurt like hell to say the least.

"C-Can't-" he managed to gasp out before taking a few intakes of pin lidded oxygen, stabbing into his lungs as he did so. "N-N-Not… y-yet…" the boy gasped out as he shook on the ground fiercely, collapsing to his hands and knees. He held himself back from tears with the safe knowledge that he had saved Misty, Bill and his Eevee. He heard footsteps in front of him however and the boy shakily rose up his head to find the grinning Lao above him. The Biker smirked as he yanked the wide eyed and gasping boy up by his front and long fringe to his eye level.

"Sorry kid; I guess it's just the luck o' the draw huh?" he grinned over and the Bikers all around all roared in laughter with him. Steven scowled angrily but weakly before he spat blood in the Biker's face. Lao stopped laughing of course and gasped in widened eyes as he did so. His companions all halted similarly and gasped in their own widened eyes as they watched their second in command being assaulted in such a manner. "You…" the young man began in a wide eyed murmur before his twitching face slowly turned to an angry growl. Steven smirked weakly back at him, as if satisfied by his expression "Little _SHIT!_" the Biker finished uncouthly before he took the boy and sunk his left fist into him roughly. Steven gasped out blood painfully as his body was forced back and forward from the stinging assault.

"Lao! It's the boss!" one of the Bikers called out in a worried cringe and Lao turned around in a gasping wide eyed surprise.

"Fuck." he hissed angrily before turning his scowl on the barely conscious Steven. He suddenly smirked and chuckled in his own sadistic humour however. "Guess you're uh… off the hook." the man smirked over at the boy before roaring in laughter. He suddenly spun around however and tossed the weakly grunting boy off the bridge of the Cycling Road and Route Seventeen. Steven flailed limply through the air in a pained shut of his eyes, eyebrows furrowed as though he were pondering something however if he were then it weren't for long; the boy soon sailed through the air in a missile like fashion before he finally splashed into the water below him.

The Bikers' guffaws and laughs faded from his ears as he fell through.

_**4**_

Rick's ears perked up and he gasped lightly as he snapped his head around, eyes darting around suspiciously. Ben at his side blinked and turned to his companion.

"Rick? What's the matter?" he questioned and the man growled back, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"You hear somethin'?"

Ben blinked. "Not that I remember," he mumbled out, feeling slightly stupid.

"Hm." the Rocket Grunt murmured as he turned his head around him. The duo had turned their investigation to Route Seventeen and _(using Rick's street smarts)_ had travelled _under_ the bad reputation of the Cycling Road. It wasn't easy but they managed to find an unused path that had fallen beyond repair. Earlier however Rick was _sure_ he had heard a splash of water near them and snapped his eyes around to be sure no one was following them.

Fuckers, he thought.

"Wait Rick!" Ben called out in a wide eyed hiss as he pulled on the older Grunt's right arm. "I see him!"

Rick turned his head around in a narrow eyed growl. "Hm?" he growled angrily before widening his eyes.

True enough!

Two beings to their right, far off in the water. A lithe one that swam in the water holding onto an unconscious young boy; one he _knew_.

The _kid!_

"Little shit!" he hissed in narrowed, hateful eyes. The one that eluded him for _weeks_; the kid that Giovanni fought in Celadon not long ago and the same one that kept beating him to the punch with the ICL Badges.

God what he wouldn't _give_ to go over there and kick the living fucking…

"Rick!" Ben hissed and the Grunt snapped his head around in an angry scowl.

"What?" he snapped angrily.

"I think…" the young man began in a weak squint. Rick raised a black eyebrow. "I think he's _dying_." he murmured before bringing out his scope. Rick was suddenly much more interested in the boy's well being and yanked the scope from Ben's yelping hands angrily. He growled at the younger Grunt before taking a look through.

His eyes widened but he held back from gasping.

It _was_ the red capped kid just as he thought it was but…

A _huge_ wound lay in his right side; looked like… a knife wound of some kind? So then…

His eyes narrowed as he slowly lowered the scope in a knowing scowl; his old gang's rivals.

The Kanto Biker Federation.

So then where was that bald bastard Camron? He wasn't _half_ as bad as that prick Lao in fact it was probably Lao that _did_ this.

Tch, like you're any better he thought to himself in a sadistic grin.

"So?" Ben asked in a surprised, wide eyed stare.

"Kid's done for; he's fucked." Rick shot back simply in his narrowed eyes. "Pricks above us probably got him," he claimed.

Ben blinked. "Who?"

"The KBF,"

Ben's eyes widened in recognition. "Oh; those guys." he murmured before turning his head to watch the two ahead of him.

Rick's eyes narrowed; if the kid was fucked… then who was helping him?

He took another look through the scope to find out.

At first Rick thought it was one of his Pokémon but upon further inspection he quickly identified it to be a young woman.

The _fuck?_

Tch, he thought. Probably one of those selfish cunts that think by doing someone a favour they're making themselves feel better about themselves.

Selfish cunt, he thought.

Then again, he thought, aren't you just as bad, if not _worse?_

He grinned at that thought.

"Oh well," he muttered and tossed the scope in Ben's direction. The young man yelped again as he fumbled the binoculars in his hands.

"Wait!" the younger man called as he jogged on after him.

Rick grinned lowly as he walked down the under path of Route Seventeen.

"_Think I'll pay ya a visit and see why Giovanni's so interested in you." _he thought before his grin grew worryingly serrated. _"Steven of Pallet."_

_**5**_

"Dammit _wait!_" Misty yelled out and finally the Jolteon was spent; its energy done. The red head yelped as she attempted to climb off its back but fell on her back. "Agh!" she exclaimed and Bill winced as he carefully stepped off.

"Sorry Jolteon." he murmured as the Electric Type in question wheezed painfully, falling on its side for some much needed rest as it did so.

"That _idiot!_" Misty yelled suddenly as she got to her feet and snapped her head 'round to Route Seventeen's opening into Cycling Road. "Why did he _do _that?" she screeched angrily and Bill cringed again.

Her voice could be painful to the ears.

"I don't know." the researcher admitted in his cringe. "Whatever he was doing; he meant it," he claimed however with confidence.

"I can see _that_." the red head agreed quietly as she narrowed her green eyes. "Come on!" she suddenly exclaimed out as she turned her head around and ushered him ahead.

"B-But Jolteon!" he shot over and she stopped suddenly in widened, surprised eyes.

He was right; the Electric Type was wheezing on the floor. She narrowed her eyes in impatience and nodded. "Okay!" she replied before running over and grunting as she cringed to lift the Pokémon. "Here!" she offered and Bill blinked. He took it from her hands and easily lifted its light weight but blinked over at her in wonder.

"What are you-"

"I have to help him!" the former Gym Leader exclaimed as she turned and ran off back towards the Cycling Road. Bill's eyes widened and he raised a free arm up as if to vainly stop her.

"Wait! Misty!" he called but she didn't seem to listen. She quickly disappeared from his view. "_Don't!_" he yelled on after her but she was gone.

Oh no…

He turned his head down to the wheezing Jolteon in his arms; the last link to his friend. "I'm sorry." he apologised down to the severely fatigued monster. "I'm sorry." he apologised again in a pained wince.

He couldn't even _help_.

The Administrator grunted as he turned and ran for the Celadon Pokémon Center.

_**6**_

_He tossed and turned as memories replayed themselves in his head like visions; some of them he remembered and some of them he didn't._

_He remembered spiralling in a painful sail into and deep down into the water of Route Seventeen's sea line, deigning to chuckle at his own misfortune._

_Then he saw himself shirtless and battling horribly – _dying_ even – against some form of Pokémon; one he saw from his dreams. The one with the tentacles; it frightened him immensely._

_And then finally he saw something even _stranger;_ shadows all congregating around a pool of some kind, watching and waiting. Inside the pool was a reflection of himself drowning in Route Seventeen. He felt as if these shadows were some form of people._

_It looked like some kind of ritual._

_And for some reason – right _then_ and there – he was reminded of Giovanni's comment to him just days ago._

_The Wheel of Fate._

_But… why?_

_Why was he reminded of it; wasn't it just a random comment he made out to frighten him like he did with the inclusion of Rick into the conversation?_

_Somehow Steven didn't think so._

_Like it matters anyhow, he thought in a smiling, eye closed smile. He was finished._

_He couldn't believe he'd grown to accept it so quickly; maybe he really _had_ changed._

"_Ha, ha, ha."_ _he laughed in his head; wasn't even sure if this was a dream or not. He _still_ couldn't believe it though. He had actually put the welfare and safety of Bill, Misty and his Jolteon before _himself.

_Guess miracles can happen, he thought._

"_Well." he began as he opened his eyes lightly and stared upwards at the sinking darkness of the ocean. "Stuff happens I guess." the boy chuckled in his mind as he stared ahead of himself. It was strange; he was _content_ this way, of all things in the _world_ no less. His only regret was his parents in Pallet and his Pokémon with him currently; his face blanched as he thought of them on his belt._

_Probably on their way with him._

_I'm sorry, he thought in a shut eyed, wincing plead. So sorry._

_Suddenly his lungs felt pressured and he coughed aloud, eyes widened as he stared ahead of himself; here it was his end. However he barely noticed the shadow above him, ramming his chest. Water spilled out from his insides and he cringed as it did so; felt as if he were vomiting. Soon however the shadow cupped his cheeks and blew into his mouth._

_His eyes opened._

The red capped boy coughed madly as he lied on the grassy floor beneath him, drenched with water both outside and inside of his body. His body shook fiercely as he coughed and the shadow previously above him gripped him to be sure he didn't roll off the small hill they had presumably carried him on. Finally his coughing fit subsided and the boy couldn't help but force his upper body upwards as he gasped in much needed oxygen desperately, his intake of breath long and deep.

Eyes of bright aqua marine met with his red but the boy lowered his arched back down in a gasping sigh, breathing in heavily and quickly as his arms moved down to his sides on the grassy floor. His eyes widened as he stared down in wide eyed amazement, still unable to believe his own survival. Finally however as reality returned to the amazed boy he gasped as he looked on upwards to find his saviour.

A young woman a little older than he; long, glittering red hair and bandaged arms. The bandages however were not restricted only to her arms; they littered her lower and skinny body, partially hiding her flesh from view. She wore a simple bikini that seemed to work with her high speed and surprising strength in saving him.

All of a sudden he recognised her.

"M-Misty?" he gasped out in widened red eyes however he grunted suddenly and snapped his head downward, his arms gripping on a wound on his lower abdomen to the side. His knife wound that Lao had previously given him, blood soaking his black shirt and red and white jacket.

So he _was_ alive!

He couldn't believe it!

But… Misty, he thought. It sure _looked_ like her, as if she were a mermaid.

"N-No." he murmured in narrowed eyes before frowning softly and raising his head to mix his own eyesight with the frowning woman. "You're… not." he admitted and she seemed to turn her eyes around aimlessly and awkwardly, his stare unnerving her it seemed. It wasn't for long however and he yelled suddenly as he gripped at his wound, eyes tearing up with the pain. The woman's own eyes widened and she moved quickly to his side to action.

Tearing off a bandage at her sleeve she quickly wrapped it around his open wound and narrowed her eyes in concentration. At first Steven was frightened by her intentions and struggled a little but quickly realised she was trying to help. But the question was…

Why?

"W-Who are you?" he managed to gasp out as he took his arms away from his wound for her to work at. She didn't respond and quietly worked away at covering his wound. His curiosity only grew. "E-Excuse me." he asked over in narrowed eyes. She seemed to finish and raised her head up to blink at him. "I asked who you were." he tried again in his frowning stare. Again she did not respond, vocally anyway.

She opened her mouth to speak but seemed to decide against it and eyes widening she lowered her head almost shamefully. Steven blinked at her in pure wonder.

What was _wrong_ with her?

"Well… that's fine um." he began to concede, opting to compromise for her speech problem it seemed. She _did_ save his life after all and in conjunction his Pokémon as well. "I guess I can call you uh…" the boy started again awkwardly as he looked up to the young woman ahead of him. She stared at him in wonder and he narrowed his eyes.

He was having trouble already.

"Person?" he tried in a weak wince. Her face fell at his words and he cringed; bad choice obviously. "Uhhh…" he wondered aloud, placing a finger on his chin as he did so. He took another look over the young woman and narrowed his eyes, trying to find some kind of personality trait to use as a nickname. His red eyes widened however as he caught sight of her glittering, long red hair.

Of course!

"How about 'Red'?" he asked in a pleasing smile. Her eyebrows lifted before she slowly smiled in response. She liked the name anyway it seemed. "Great! We'll just call you that until we find out your real name; 'kay?" he asked in one of his old grins and she smiled as she nodded in silent agreement. "Listen uh…" the boy began however and even winced as he looked down away from the young woman's eyesight. She turned her head curiously at him. "I know it's cheap and all but… thanks. For saving my life I mean; I owe you," he finished in a weak smile as he rose up his head. The woman seemed to notice his words and smiled, shaking her head in response as if he did _not_ owe her his life.

Nice of her, he thought in a chuckle.

"Well, well, _well!_" a voice laughed and the two gasped in surprised expressions before they snapped themselves 'round. Amidst the two's hiding place under the Cycling Road bridge two men stalked forth towards them, dressed all in black. At first Steven thought it was the Biker gang following him to finish the job but as soon as he saw their clothing he recognised them instantly.

Team _Rocket_.

And the man that just spoke; a great fear instilled in him. Richard Scott. His partner, the timid young man Benjamin followed close next to him.

… No…

"We _wondered_ where you were kid; startin' to miss you in fact." Rick grinned as he advanced on the kneeling two. Steven grunted in his fresh wound's pain as he attempted to stand but couldn't seem to manage it, yelping as he fell to his one knee; the best he could manage. Rick laughed. "Hey I admire that kid! Even now when you're positively _fucked!_" he bellowed in laughter as he watched the grunting and narrow eyed Steven grip his fists together. He fingered the Poké balls at his belt and prayed they would help defend him and Red.

"Rick," Ben murmured next to him in a worried glance and the man in question huffed annoyingly as he looked back down at the boy, scowling as he usually did.

"Mm." he agreed quietly before turning his glaring gaze on the face twitching and worried Steven. "Don't worry kid I ain't here to fuck you up." he reassured the worried boy. "Though I wouldn't _totally_ throw the idea out for the near future," the man grinned suddenly ominously and Steven growled back.

"Don't worry; he doesn't mean it!" Ben smiled reassuringly over at the boy and Steven's red eyes darted over in suspicious glances.

"The hell I don't." Rick grumbled quietly as he scowled over at his partner before glaring back over at the kneeling two ahead of him. "So… who's the new girl? She looks way too developed for _you_," the man grinned and Steven only narrowed his eyes in his own glare.

"What are you here for?" he spat back. Rick's amused grin crumbled and he scowled back.

"Looks like you had a run in with my old friends huh." the Rocket Grunt murmured as he narrowed his eyes at Steven's painful wound. "They ain't changed much," he chuckled nostalgically as he placed a hand on his hip, overlooking the wound itself. Steven glared back.

"Out with it! What are you _here_ for?" Steven shot over in a narrow eyed scowl. Rick's grin once again was lost to him and he growled back in his own glare.

"Watch you fuckin' mouth kid or I _will_ fuck you up and no mistake," he added dangerously.

"Easy!" Ben whispered to his partner before smiling over at the boy ahead of him. "Put quite simply Steven we need your help," he asked over and the Trainer's brown eyebrow rose in curiosity.

"Help?" he parroted.

"Yes; we're after a certain cargo from the Kanto Biker Federation that attacked you earlier and we can't do it without another man's help. We're short on manpower in Team Rocket so this is our best idea," Ben smiled apologetically. Steven's eyes narrowed.

"I don't see what _I_ can gain from attackin' those guys again. All I got last time was a stab to the stomach," the boy claimed back narrow eyed.

"Newsflash kid." Rick suddenly grinned over at him. Steven furrowed his brow in narrow eyed curiosity. "Your little ginger friend's been taken by those pricks,"

His red eyes widened in sudden fear. "M-Misty!" he gasped in shock.

"You got it," Rick grinned.

"We're sorry," Ben apologised in a weak frown but Steven growled back as he lowered his eyesight to the ground.

Damn! They _had_ him! And after he worked so hard to _stop_ this from happening!

He snapped his head up in his light scowl. "How do I know you two won't try anything? You're Team Rocket after all," he finished in a suspicious glare and murmur. Rick only grinned at him.

"You have our _word_ little man," he grinned and Steven's eyes narrowed hatefully. He knew he didn't stand a chance in rescuing Misty with his Pokémon alone and even if he were to meet up with his Jolteon and Bill it still wouldn't add much to their chances.

This was all he had; take water in the desert such as it's offered he thought.

"Okay fine." he murmured conceding as he lowered his arms, eyes narrowed as he did so. "I'll do it." the boy finally claimed before he attempted to stand once more. He managed it but only with a pained growl and grunt. The pain in his side was strong but he endured it. "Let's do this already." the boy stated quickly, eager to finish this ordeal it seemed. Ben smiled genuinely and Rick grinned back at him.

_**7**_

"All right." Steven murmured as the group of four stood over a wooden table with a map laid out in front of them, eyes narrowed. It was a map to the Kanto Biker Federations' hideout that Richard had mysteriously provided. When asked how he possessed it he claimed only that Team Rocket have deep pockets. Currently however the group of Rick, Steven, Ben and 'Red' had gathered around together in a hidden cave nearby, still hidden under the safety of the Cycling Road bridge of Route Seventeen. "So… how are we gonna do this?" he began as he turned his head. Rick stood over the centre of the table and scowled as he always seemed to.

"We jump in fast and hard and _fuck_ 'em from the inside." Rick claimed out as he scowled down at the map, the gears in his head slowly turning before he finished a grin. "Yeah," he agreed with himself in a knowing chuckle. Ben cringed but Steven frowned over at the man.

"How do you know they'll let us in so easily?" he asked simply and Rick turned his head with his scowl on his face.

"'Cause I _know_ these guys you little shit." he stated simply and Steven narrowed his eyes at the man. "They're fuckers; they'll fuck you over the first chance they get,"

"Sorta like you huh?" Steven shot back in a slightly amused top turn of his mouth and Rick's scowl grew even darker. His silent red head friend next to him silently chuckled.

"Shut your fuckin' mouth kid; you're in _my_ territory now." he whispered dangerously and in narrow eyed hate. Steven lost his grin and did so; he was right. He couldn't chance angering the usually volatile Rick.

"Uhm… anyway…" Ben began worryingly but deciding to forge ahead he gained some guts. "I think we should concentrate on a stealthy approach; that way when we go in there's no hassle for anyone!" Ben smiled and Steven nodded in agreement.

"Yeah; quicker it's done the better," he responded and Rick grumbled to himself.

Perhaps annoyed he was out voted two to one.

"Whatever." Rick grunted in grumpy agreement. "So we stealth in there, move around, take the cargo and get the fuck outta dodge," the man claimed as he turned to his team mates for agreement. Ben winced; did he have to curse and swear at _every_ opportunity?

"You're forgetting about my friend," Steven growled in quickly with narrowed, suspicious eyes. Rick looked almost genuinely surprised for a second before shrugging it off.

"Eh," he agreed in his scowl but Steven kept his eyes on the man suspiciously.

Needless to say he didn't trust him.

"All right then." Steven scowled as he nodded, pausing as if waiting for the Rocket Grunts to interrupt him. They did not and he relaxed a little more. "Whereabouts is this place?"

"Not far from here actually." Ben replied as he looked up at the boy in his own frown. He leaned over and pointed at a drawing of a small house on the map below them. "The Kanto Biker Federation has stayed in the same abandoned Power Plant that moved away years ago from the Rock Tunnel," he claimed as he pointed softly to the paper below him, the map crinkling with his finger. Steven nodded studiously; so _that's_ why he, Bill and Misty hadn't passed through the Power Plant he'd heard about.

He often wondered why.

"If memory serves anyway," Rick grunted out in an angry snort, folding his arms as he did so.

"All right then; let's go!" Steven called out exuberantly, eager to find his companion it seemed. Rick turned his eyes over to the boy and raised an eyebrow as he frowned.

"What about the mute?" he questioned and Steven blinked curiously.

Oh yeah.

"Uh 'Red'." Steven began as he turned around and rubbed the back of his head weakly. He had previously given the curious young woman his red and white jacket to wear for her current lack of decent enough clothes to protect her from the cold. "I know that you saved my life and all but I really have to go help this other friend o' mine; she's a lot like you actually." he ended in a happy chuckle. The red haired woman only blinked at him and he began to see the similarities.

In appearance anyway.

Misty's usual volatile attitude was of course insanely different to the demure young woman in front of him.

She didn't seem to appreciate his inside joke and he stopped laughing nervously as he did so. "Well anyway…" he began again. "I wouldn't want to endanger you or anything so I have to ask; do you know your way _back_ from here to wherever you live?" the boy asked in a worried wince. He was worried she would say 'no' then realised she was a mute.

She shook her head in a weak frown.

He inwardly kicked himself.

"A-All right um." he began again as he rubbed the back of his head again, as if hoping to unearth some secrets from the confines of his brain. He could loan her one of his Pokémon and send her out on her own but it would be pointless; she possibly knew nothing _of_ Pokémon Battling or how to even use one, plus the group's current fighting strength would be down one member. He sighed in defeat and winced as he did so, eyes shut. "I guess there's nothing for it." he murmured before raising up his head to frown at the worried looking woman. "You have to come with us,"

"_WHAT?_" Rick suddenly exploded in anger as he further demonstrated this with a slam of his fist against the wooden table. Ben behind him cringed immediately, moving back from his companion's fury. Steven stiffened but by else did not appear intimidated; he turned his body around and frowned determinedly back up at the angry man above him. "You're fuckin' _kidding_ me," the man growled threateningly down at the young boy.

"She's got nowhere _else to go,_" Steven gritted quietly through his teeth as he scowled hard up at the man above him. Red behind him shifted her feet uncomfortably and visibly winced as she stared down at her feet.

Rick wasn't to be swayed it seemed however and he leant in with his murderous scowl. "I ain't gettin' caught because of _this_ untrained, stupid _bitch_." the young man growled out quietly and Steven's face twitched in half fear, half anger, breathing heavily as he did so. "She's nice to look at and she revs my engine; don't get me wrong." he began again as he chuckled ominously and gave the stiffening young woman an appreciative glance before turning his angry scowl back on the watching Steven. "But mark my words kid; I ain't chancin' a fuckin' _thing_ in this mission,"

"Guess what _Rick_." the boy shot back in a narrow eyed whisper of his own. "I ain't helpin' you guys unless I can bring her along with me; _comprende?_" he finished in a half grin, as if satisfied by the infuriated look on his former enemy's face. Steven couldn't believe himself; his trainers were filled with a shaking fear like he had felt previously while facing Richard Scott before however he had gone so far out of his way – even _now_ – to help this woman.

Granted she saved his life but still.

Old Steven would have ran right out of there, leaving 'Red' and Misty to their fates.

"Rick!" Ben hissed as he frowned and verbally got in between the two, breaking up a possible fight. "Listen to him; we _have_ to learn to compromise. Diplomacy, remember?" the Team Rocket Grunt hissed at him and Rick's scowl twitched helplessly as he looked darkly down at the young boy beneath him.

"Fucking… Giovanni…" Rick spat out so quietly and in through grit teeth Steven almost couldn't understand him. "All right _fine_ you little shit but _you're_ being held responsible for the bitch." the Grunt scowled down at him but couldn't help himself from back handing the wide eyed boy on the face. He was successfully sent spiralling across the cave but the wide eyed 'Red' managed to catch him in mid toss in an effort filled grunt. With that the young man chuckled to himself in seeming victory before striding on forward with a kind of strut. "Come on you pair of pussy whipped bastards." the Grunt grinned as he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked off towards the light and the exit to the cave they had stored themselves in.

Steven grunted in a pained wince as he cradled his cheek. He turned and gave the smiling a woman a smile of his own in silent thanks however was met with the also smiling form of Ben; Rick's partner. He carried the map in one of his hands and offered a hand for the young boy to take however he slapped it away in narrow eyed hate.

This guy was from Team Rocket; he couldn't offer him anything.

"S-Sorry about… Rick." Ben managed out in a wincing stammer and Steven blinked in wonder; caught off guard by his comment and expression it seemed. "I know that I'm from Team Rocket and I know that you probably don't want to be friends with a guy like me… but I hope we can work together on this mission," the man frowned weakly as he raised up an almost limp hand for the boy to shake. He narrowed his red eyes suspiciously but regardless choked down his hate for the Mafia organisation and shook the man's hand.

Maybe this guy wasn't on the same page as the others?

"Yeah," Steven murmured in response and Ben seemed to regain a smile, a weak one but a smile all the same.

"Great!" Ben smiled before nodding forward. "I'll see ya out there!" he claimed and Steven only nodded as he turned and watched the man walk out, following his partner and comrade. Steven turned his head to the watching 'Red' and exchanged a nod with her before wordlessly following.

_**8**_

"Let me _out of here!_" Misty screeched out for the umpteenth time as she sat roped and bound. She had previously gone searching for the missing Steven back on the Cycling Road of Route Seventeen but was met with the bike gang they had tussled with before.

Obviously she had not been successful in her confrontation.

The red head had to admit, she was worried about the volatile brown haired boy that had so strangely and selflessly sacrificed himself to send the former Gym Leader and their computing companion.

She found it weird _enough_ that he saved _them_ let alone himself.

He had changed so fast, she thought. So why…

Why did he have to _die?_

No! Don't _think_ like that! Just focus on getting out! Though she would… if only they would just…

"Let me _OOOOOOOOOOUUUT!_" the red head screamed out again in her growing anger.

"Hey shut up bitch!" a man's voice exclaimed back down at her and she flinched as small pebbles were thrown down at her. They missed her but did the trick in intimidating her for a short while anyway. She groaned and lowered her head, unable to see anything ahead of her due to the darkness around her. She wasn't sure how long she'd been here but time was beginning to take its toll on her; she lost all concept of time bar the current day.

She wasn't even sure if Bill was coming back for her.

Let's be honest she thought; what could he possibly _do_ other than bring the police? And with Steven missing she was left to fend for herself. Her Pokémon confiscated from her by the gang she was left defenceless and open and she was worried; _seriously_ worried about what the men were planning to do with her.

They made hints.

_Worrying_ hints.

She had to find a way out of here fast.

But… the question was how…

She thought with all her might.

_**9**_

"All right; here we are." Ben whispered as the group stood above the Route Seventeen's Cycling Road bridge, overlooking the Power Plant itself. Sure enough there it was below them. Steven gulped down some hesitant saliva; it would be his second time on an infiltration, the first time ended badly.

What about now, he thought?

"Kid." Rick grunted in his tell tale scowl and Steven blinked as he turned his head over. "You sure about this?" he asked in his scowl, head pointing over towards the uncomfortable looking woman behind him. Steven noticed before frowning determinedly again up at the older man. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Hope you've got some Flying Types to get down here." he only lamented and Steven's red eyes widened in sudden realisation.

Oh no!

"What is it _now_ kid?" Rick grunted over again, this time a little more angrily. Steven winced.

"I don't have any,"

"Any _what?_"

He winced. "Flying Types," he responded and Rick growled.

"Fuck." he growled. "You got _anything_ you can use to get down from this height?" he asked almost sarcastically and Steven thought quickly.

Wait! Yes he did! It was a little hard but… he was confident he could do it!

"Yeah." he nodded in narrowed eyes before looking back up and frowning in an affirmative nod. "Yeah I do!" he added.

"Fan fuckin' tastic; let's go." he grumbled before going into his back pocket. Pulling out some kind of firing weapon he lowered it down, aiming for the building's roof. Ben at his side followed silently, eyes narrowed also. Steven watched in wonder as the two fired out black ropes from the guns. The front ends of the black ropes were fixed with a latching device for obvious espionage missions.

Standard issue in Team Rocket?

At least he was gaining new information on these guys, Steven thought in suspicious narrowed eyes before the two pressed buttons on their devices as they leapt off almost simultaneously, pulling them in slowly. Steven watched them with narrowed eyes before he brought out the Poké ball containing his sleeping Snorlax. Squinting hard he pulled back his hand and took a few steps back. Red watched with a surprised, transfixed stare as she joined her hands ahead of herself, finished with buttoning up her new companion's jacket against the biting cold.

All right… he thought in narrowed, pondering eyes. He would _make_ this throw.

The red eyed boy growled as he spun his body around for a dramatic but effective turning throw of the red sphere Poké ball, finishing in a yell as he sent it spiralling through the air. The moment of truth; the two stood in transfixed, widened eyes. Steven's heart beat stopped as he watched it sail through the air before it soon became a dot.

Steven prayed silently.

His prayers were thus answered; the ball beneath them soon exploded into a cloud of white smoke and even from the high height the two stood on they could clearly see the huge outline of the lumbering Snorlax below them, wedged in between the taken aback forms of the watching Rick and Ben.

"Okay!" Steven grinned before turning his grin on the watching Red. "You ready?" he asked her in his light grin and she nodded silently once more in her own smile. The two walked over before Steven quickly realised his own fallacy.

They couldn't _both_ jump at the same time; it'd be too inaccurate.

So… then how…?

… Guess he had to…

For some reason he was thankful Misty wasn't there at this moment.

"Uh." he began awkwardly as he turned his head, wincing as he did so. Red turned to frown at him curiously, turning her head in a wondering expression as she did so. "Y-You don't mind if I um… if I _hold_ you do you?" he requested in a cringing wince. She blinked at him strangely and he resisted the urge to smack himself on the forehead.

Way to screw up a perfectly good sentence idiot, he thought.

What was the big deal? He'd hit on _lots_ of women before! Okay so she was good looking.

He looked her over again and couldn't help from blushing.

Okay so she was _great looking_.

Ugh, please come back old overconfidence, he thought lamentably.

Finally however she seemed to register what he meant and smiled widely as she nodded, perhaps to alleviate him of some of his embarrassment.

He was thankful.

"Uh… okay." he murmured as he bit his lower lip and moved forward, his fingers waggling around uncomfortably. She stood at the ready for him and he readied himself, clearly uncomfortable with the effort. He sighed and turned around, face palming nervously as he did so. "Hold on." he sighed out before turning back 'round and starting again. She moved forward for him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

His heart beat raced instantly and he nearly stiffened but he stopped himself from doing so.

_Jeez_ man get a _grip!_

Don't forget; Misty's down there! Can't waste any more time!

With that thought in the boy's head he grunted as he quickly and suddenly lifted up the wide eyed woman by her lower legs and back, his own red eyes widened as he did so. The two stayed there in surprised expressions for what seemed like hours, stares fixed on the air itself.

Steven thought his heart would burst.

Jeez!

You'd think he'd never _met_ a woman before!

All right enough!

He waited for the signal and sure enough a shot from Rick's gun from beneath them latched onto the bridge's wall below them. With night swiftly approaching it was difficult to determine where the black coloured rope was but thanks to the steel latching device he found the rope and so leapt down in a gradual building yell. He used his right arm to latch onto the rope – now above him – an awkward position between gripping the rope and holding onto his new companion from falling into the sea below them.

He held back from yelling both in burning pain of his wrist banded hand but also because of the constant weight of his companion as well as the stealth aspect of this mission as the two sailed down the black rope, eyes widened in the pain. Finally however just as his lungs were ready to burst in all his growing pain, the boy and the woman were dropped off at the Power Plant's roof, landing on his fallen and slumbering Snorlax. He carefully put the blinking red head down before quietly whining to himself as he rocked back and forth in his seat on the roof, light tears from his eyes in the monstrosity that was the pain.

Rick angrily kicked him and the boy grunted in his pain further.

"Shut the fuck up!" he hissed down quietly at him. Steven cringed at the floor but rose up his right arm to give the Rocket Grunt a thumbs up. For the first time – and non fearful as well – Red gave the man a disapproved scowl, as if offended by his behaviour.

Of course it probably wasn't the first time.

Rick seemed to notice however and turned his head with a light grin, offering her a mock kiss at the air before turning again towards his partner. Red stared him off with a glare before walking over to help the coughing Steven with a renewed, light smile on her face.

"T-Thanks." he wheezed out and took the young woman's hand to raise himself up.

"Come on!" Rick hissed over angrily and impatiently. Steven and Red turned their heads before nodding to each other and following through with his request; however the boy called back his Snorlax as he walked over for use in another fight. Steven finally managed to calm himself and frowned in thought as he watched Ben pull his latching gun out again. Peering into the long and large pipe ahead of them, Ben narrowed his eyes, gripped his gun with both hands and fired off the latch forward. It plummeted down the open hatch and disappeared into the darkness below.

"All right!" Ben whispered over at the watching three. Rick quickly pushed past the grunting Steven and blinking Red, scowling as he did so. The Grunt scowled as he quietly leapt and grabbed the rope, climbing down with swift ease. Steven growled and followed after, eyes narrowed; he briefly thought of allowing Red to go before him but quickly chose against it.

Once again he did not trust Rick.

The boy leapt forward in a quiet grunt, gripping the rope with both hands as he descended down. He narrowed his eyes as he did so, tongue hanging out with the effort in his espionage. He craned his neck up to watch for his new companion; sure enough there she was, descending down above him.

He was suddenly aware he was staring up at her at an awkward angle.

The boy shot his head down instantly and resumed his descent climb, eyes cringing and blushing furiously. Why did he have to _think_ like that with Red? Ugh!

He wouldn't have cared even a few weeks ago if he was looking at her like that; in fact he used to _love_ that sleazy feeling but _now_… Agh!

Weird, he thought.

It was _then_ that he remembered Misty and felt guilty, _really_ guilty. His mind snapped to that however as he climbed.

_Why_ did he feel guilty?

He'd never thought about it until now!

He remembered when she'd kissed him in Celadon City; his take on her had completely changed. The boy thought she was nice, cute even and all of a sudden too. But then the question remained; _why_ did she kiss him?

He was originally being sent in to save Kimberley from the Rockets in Celadon's underground so maybe it was that; motivation he thought in a disappointed pang in his heart. What did you expect he thought in a further disappointed, half amused chuckle as he slid down the rope.

… Oh well.

Regardless the boy finished his inner thoughts as he landed next to the scowling Rick in a padding grunt, turning his eyes up to watch for his following companion. Sure enough there she was, gliding down the rope and he smiled as he saw her, hand over his eyes to block out any glare he may have received. She seemed to stumble in her coordination however and Steven's face fell as he quickly realised this fact.

Uh oh.

He heard her gasp aloud for the first time as her grip on the rope quickly faltered. She thus dropped into the air itself, arms shooting forward in a vain attempt to stop herself from falling and grabbing onto the rope. Rick merely stood watching in an uninterested scowl but Steven glared at the Grunt before grunting as he leapt forward to catch the young woman. Fortunately his aim was true and as he side leapt into the air to catch her, the boy's arms grabbed the small of her back and under her legs surprisingly accurately. However it left the two open and as Steven attempted to turn his body around he could only manage a right angle turn before thudding against the floor roughly, eliciting a pained grunt from him in response.

Soon reality came tumbling back to him and as dazed as he was he groaned as he raised his head to frown ahead of him, blinking as he did so. He didn't even realise she had her arms wrapped around his neck until they were both laying on the ground.

They blushed almost simultaneously as they both realised.

Rick rolled his eyes.

"Get a fuckin' room huh." the man growled over in narrowed eyes as he folded his arms angrily. The two immediately broke their hold on each other and stood up away from each other. Steven coughed awkwardly and attempted to look professional in some aspect or another but as always failing hard. Soon however Ben landed next to the scowling Rick quietly, his feet padding on the floor, thankfully taking some attention away from the boy himself.

"All right." Ben murmured as he recalled back his latching gun, narrowing his eyes as he did so. "So we stick with the plan; we split up and cover more ground," he claimed and Rick nodded in silent agreement.

"Yeah!" Steven shot back.

"Rick and I will take the east side of the Plant, you handle the west okay?" the young man asked over and Steven nodded once more. Truth be told he was happy he wasn't working with these two guys; Team Rocket could _not_ be trusted. That and he'd have some more time alone with-

… No.

Just no.

His eyes drooped in his own annoyance as he realised his own mistake.

_Focus!_

"Okay; good luck finding your friend! Remember; we'll meet up back at this spot whether we've found something or not okay?" the young man whispered over and Steven frowned as he nodded though truth be told he had _no_ intention to follow the man's orders. "Okay! Good luck!" he called quietly again before he turned around and headed off down the eastern side of the supposedly abandoned Power Plant. Rick however stayed still in a narrow eyed frown, locking his glare with the similarly watching Steven.

He could tell what he was thinking behind those dangerous eyes of his; pure suspicion; he was worried he'd screw him over. Tch, like you're any better, Steven thought as he narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow, darkening his scowl as he did so. Finally however the Rocket Grunt turned around to follow his comrade but not without a grinning sneer as he did so. Steven narrowed his eyes in a growl as he watched him leave before turning around to join his companion.

"All right I gotta look for my friend but I don't wanna leave you alone in this place." Steven began as he turned his frown on the curious expressed Red. "So… just in case… here." he frowned as he plucked a Poké ball from his belt and still in its small state he placed it in her open right palm. She blinked down at it. "It's my Wartortle; I figured you'd have some knowledge of Water Type Pokémon since you're a swimmer and all. It's really the only one I have that I can spare anyway." the boy apologised in a light wince. She looked down at the Water Type studiously but soon pocketed the sphere and nodded in a thanking smile.

The boy turned his head forward down the dark corridor of the western Power Plant, eyes narrowed.

_**10**_

Be careful, he thought as he shimmied across the wall with narrowed, worried eyes. Couldn't chance a _thing_.

"S-S-"

The boy's eyes widened and he snapped his head around, eyes darting wildly as he looked for the source of the voice.

He almost couldn't believe it when he seen Red's mouth moving.

She was talking!

Or at least _trying_ to.

"St-Stev…en," she finally managed out in an effortful wince as she spoke however she looked up to watch his expression as if to discover the results of her speech. Steven stared at her in an amazed, open mouthed frown. When he didn't respond she cringed and looked away from him embarrassingly, almost as if she were ashamed for even opening her mouth. Steven's red eyes widened and he scrambled to recover the young woman's courage.

"N-No it was great!" he whispered over in a wincing smile of his own, hoping that no one else could hear him around the area. Last thing he wanted to do was give away their position. "I just… didn't expect it was all." he smiled and she raised her head in a surprised blink before she smiled back, a red tint to her cheeks. Steven breathed out a sigh of relief as he turned his head back around to watch for his enemies.

Good; they hadn't seen them.

"Okay…" the boy murmured in narrowed, pondering eyes. "How to…" he began outwardly in a whisper but continued his words in his mind. _"How to do this."_ he thought and quickly went over the situation. With the fighting power he currently possessed he could manage only a stealth approach here and – let's be honest he thought to himself – the Rocket Grunt allies he had weren't really 'allies'.

He couldn't see them helping him.

The boy turned his head and ushered his companion to follow him as he leant against the wall down on his lowered feet, almost kneeling. Red followed him with a worried expression on her face, crawling forward to follow him. Soon he began to hear voices and stopped automatically, eyes narrowed in a silent gasp. Red did so as well and he ushered her quiet with a silent raise of his index finger; she followed suite.

The voices were deep and male.

Figures.

The red capped boy narrowed his eyes as he ushered his companion to follow, got up and sneaked across the floor quickly, making sure no one saw him or his friend. She followed of course and as quietly as she could do. The young red head joined him and leant herself flat against the wall to his left and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he sidled across. Finally at the end the voices grew louder and he craned his ear closer to listen.

"… So yeah I got _great_ plans for her!" one of the man laughed and immediately the group around him guffawed with their own laughter.

"Lucky bastard; I _love_ the young ones!"

"She's a feisty little cunt but she's _my_ cunt now," the first man chuckled in an ominous knowing. Steven exchanged a worried look with the cringing Red next to him before he craned his ear to listen in further.

"Ya know I hear she's a Gym Leader from somewhere," a third man spoke up and the group almost instantly stopped laughing. Steven's red eyes narrowed and he gasped quietly as he neared in a little further to be sure he was listening correctly.

Please don't be talking about her…

"You're _shittin'_ me,"

"I kid you not man!"

"Fuck!" the first man lamented angrily.

"Hey don't worry about it dude, all ya gotta do is hide the body right? It's too late to turn back now anyway,"

"Yeah I guess… What Gym does this little shit stay in?"

"Uhhh…"

Steven's tension grew and his heart beat grew quicker as he waited.

"Cerulean I think; I think I seen her face in the papers a few years ago,"

Steven's eyes widened and he silently cursed in his mind.

"_Damn!"_ he thought in his cringe.

They had her; Rick was right. All right… now the question remained… _where_ was she?

"Eh that can be covered up then," the first man spoke back.

"Hey can I have second dibs on her?"

"Piss off asshole!"

"Aw come on man! I ain't had any in months!"

"Go find your own fuck!"

Steven's anger grew and it took all the self restraint he had not to burst in there and set his entire team on them.

"Better hope the Boss doesn't find out you're hidin' her,"

"Yeah why's that?"

"He just _loves_ kids,"

Steven nearly spat in his high anger, trembling mad in his scowl as he stood. He made ready to spin 'round the corner but Red stopped the boy with a quick grab of his left arm. He stopped in a quiet gasp, turning 'round in a surprised blink to find her shaking her head gravely at him, frowning sadly as she did so. His scowl returned but only a light one; she was right.

With that knowledge in his head the boy resigned himself to the wall and continued listening.

"Tch… Well he'll have a hell of a job gettin' to her," the first man shot back.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah; she's down the well,"

"The _empty_ well?"

"How else ya think she's still _breathin'_ ass wipe?"

"_Well…"_ the boy thought to himself as he listened hard, waiting for any more details.

"Heh yeah; hey you mind if I-"

"For the last time ya horny shit I said-"

A gunshot screamed at the side. Steven's eyes widened and he flinched as he turned his head back from instinct. Red at his side whimpered and flinched as well, wincing as she did so. Steven narrowed his red eyes and edged his head 'round past the wall to find a laughing Rick in amongst the scene, missing from his companion Ben it seemed. Steven silently swore to himself; he wanted to join him and rough up the gang members for more information but Red worried him.

He was afraid she'd be caught or worse.

Maybe… maybe if she came _with _him… He winced at the thought but decided it had to be done either way.

He couldn't leave Misty; not after everything she'd done for him.

The boy turned with a frown on his face, alerting the curious young woman. "Listen; I'm gonna need you to follow me. I know it's selfish but…" he began in a weak cringe and she frowned weakly as she listened to him silently. "I have to save my friend. You have my Wartortle right?" he asked and she smiled forcefully as she raised the Poké ball in question. His own smile returned but only a shadow of what it could have been and he nodded alongside it. "All right… come on then!" he smiled as he turned his heel and ran for the corner. She followed of course.

They swivelled 'round the corner to find the insane expressed Rick laughing elatedly as he evaded the scowling gang members' punch and kick assaults before responding in kind _(usually with a grinning head butt or a swift kick to the groin)_. However as soon as one of the members decided they'd had enough and brought out a firearm the grin flew from Rick's face and he scowled darkly as he yanked his own gun out to point threateningly at the man that dared point his at him.

Time stopped for the group as they all watched in knowing of the eventual outcome.

Rick gave a disappointed shake of his head, as if disapproving a child's actions. "Tch, tch, tch." he tutted in a scowl. "It's all fun and games 'till someone gets their _head_ blown off," the Rocket Grunt shot over at him in his scowl and his heavy breathing opponent lied on a fallen sofa couch as he propped himself up on one elbow, sweat running down his brow as he did so.

"Fucking… shit," he lamented angrily from his fallen seat, positively glaring daggers over at the black dressed man ahead of him. He fired off a round from his weapon and even Steven had to widen his eyes in a gasp as he watched. Red next to him gave a built up scream but her voice was unheard to the group as they watched. Sure enough its aim was true and Rick grunted as he took a seemingly surprised step backward from the force of the shot. Everyone watched in a surprised look as the growling Rick rose back up his head and grinned once more. "_What the F-_" the couch ridden man screamed out in disbelieving anger.

"Too late." Rick grinned before firing off one of his own shots. The bullet flew through and screamed into the man's skull. His head sagged backwards for an instant and his eyes widened to dinner plates before he gave one more pained grunt and fell to the floor, arms splayed out and his legs dangling off the overturned couch's edge.

"He-He's a devil," the man on Rick's right murmured in widened eyes as he backed up a step, lower lip trembling. He tripped up as he continued to back up, an overturned chair blocking his path. He squealed as he fell and Rick snorted contemptuously down at him before rising up his gun to fire.

"No wait!" Steven suddenly exclaimed as he burst to life forward, eyes widened. Rick's eyebrows raised and he looked upwards to frown before growling angrily as he caught sight of the boy. Steven narrowed his own red eyes harshly as he stood in between Rick and the whimpering gang member behind him.

"This guy was probably the one that nearly killed you kid. Out. Of my _fucking_ way," the Grunt warned angrily and quietly through hissing teeth.

"He might have information for all we know!" Steven hissed back in his narrow eyed glare. Rick seemed to understand what the boy was getting at and growled as he reluctantly lowered his firearm. However as he did so the man previously on his right _(and now behind him)_ leapt up to grab him by the neck. Instantly they began to struggle and Rick's anger burst to life once more. The man behind him though was lank and skinny; no muscle tone and so Rick easily overturned the yelling man in a forward throw with both his arms, sending him crashing to the ground on his head.

Rick wasted no time in silencing the man however and growled angrily in his dark scowl as he stomped his foot on the wheezing man's skinny chest before lowering and cocking his handgun at the man's wide eyed, upside down face.

"You little _shit,_" he growled.

"Rick _no!_" Steven shouted but it was too late; Rick had blasted through the man's head with another round. Rick smirked as he lowered his firearm slowly.

"And that's why you don't fuck with Rick Scott." the Grunt grinned brazenly before suddenly scowling as he turned his eyes up to watch the wide eyed, unspeakable Steven. "What?" he snapped over simply, eyes narrowed angrily as always it seemed. However the boy couldn't answer; the man behind him suddenly leapt forward and grinned over at Rick as he yanked the boy close to a knife threateningly. He hovered it over Steven's gasping mouth first and then his neck, smirking as he watched the Grunt's face however Rick made no inclination to surprise. "And that's what happens when you're a stupid little _fuck_," Rick shot over to the red eyed boy who in turn grunted as he vainly struggled against the man's strong arms.

"Got your kiiid." the man grinned confidently over at Rick. The Rocket Grunt raised a black eyebrow as if it meant absolutely nothing to him or less than nothing. The man's face fell as he watched. "He's your partner! You were actin' all palsy walsy with him!" the gang member insisted desperately as he frowned over in a mix of frustration and growing fear. Rick's grin slowly slipped onto his face as he raised back up the weapon to point dead on for the wide eyed Steven's face.

"_No!"_ the boy thought desperately as he struggled harder but to no avail.

"Sorry asshole." Rick apologised insincerely as he grinned before raising his finger to the weapon's trigger once more; his favourite action it seemed. However before he could, a narrow eyed Water Type turtle Pokémon leapt into action and grabbed the blinking man's arms before biting down hard. The man yelled in anger and pain as he let go from force, eyes cringing and falling backwards. Steven yelled as he fell to his lower right, the Water Type Pokémon following him in his descent as he did so. Rick's bullet shot and skinned the man's wide eyed head, disappearing off into the dark distance.

"W-Wartortle." Steven murmured as he groaned and turned his body to find the Water Type turtle next to him, battle ready. It turned with a fanged grin and nodded. Steven groaned again as he attempted to sit up and found a wincing Red standing behind the fallen man.

She must have sent out his Wartortle to help him.

He mouthed the words 'thank you' over to her in a smile and received one back though as slow and wary as it seemed. However with a renewed scowl he snapped his head 'round to glare at his supposed 'ally' Richard Scott. The Grunt growled back before raising up his gun and just as Steven's eyes widened in fear the man surprised him by shooting down at the fallen gang member's right arm, thereby pinning him down with a pained shout. Rick scowled daggers at Steven as he gave him a mock shrug and apologetic tone.

"Happy?" he asked in a turn of his head but Steven only growled back.

At least he didn't _kill_ him.

With that in mind the boy turned back around and leaned over the crying man below him, eyes narrowed. "Where is she?" he demanded quickly but the man ignored him in all his pain. Rick briskly walked forward and glared down at the man as he raised up his weapon again. Steven gasped and leapt to his left out of the shot's way and sure enough he fired off a round, this time in the man's right hand. He yelped in his further pain and Rick leant in slowly with a narrow eyed scowl.

"I'd recommend you _answer_ the fuckin' question," the Rocket Grunt warned quietly with an angry hiss through his teeth as he cocked the weapon down at the whimpering man.

"Okay, okay!" he conceded weakly. Rick grinned superiorly as he lowered his gun once more before gesturing forth towards his temporary ally. Steven gave the Grunt a suspicious frown but moved on anyway. "Who are you talking about?" the man sniffed a tear off his face and Steven winced down at him as he stood up.

How did _this_ guy join a gang like this?

"Uh… red hair, little taller than me… wears a yellow top, red braces, blue jeans?" he tried in some description to the best of his memory. He realised it was actually very accurate.

Hey not bad, he thought incidentally.

The man looked blank until he finally caught on with a gasp. "Oh yeah! The kid Lao brought!" he exclaimed out with and Steven narrowed his eyes.

"I know she's in a well; which one?" the boy questioned quickly and to the point. The Biker below him grinned and nodded zealously, as if doing so would clear him of every charge against him.

"It's just down from here! Straight behind you, to your left and down the dungeon!" he pointed shakily but with a happy and sweaty grin as he did so. Steven raised a brown eyebrow, tracing the man's finger.

"You better not be lying," Steven informed the man with a disapproved frown but he smiled forcefully and shook his sweat filled head as he did so.

"Never!" he exclaimed and Steven frowned suspiciously as he stood up before turning.

"Come on." he called on his companions. Sure enough Red followed him but Rick remained where he was. "Rick?" he called lightly however two screams shot from his weapon made him cringe and stiffen instantly. "No!" he exclaimed and ran back but the man was only bleeding more; he had died not.

So…

Two bullet holes marked in his feet now.

The man cried quietly in his hellish pain as he lied limply and pathetically. Rick grunted as he pocketed his firearm and scowled as he turned to follow now. Steven watched him with wide eyed amazement.

"What the _hell?_" he whispered over as he walked alongside. "You didn't have to _do_ that!" he hissed and Rick scowled back.

"You really want him running?" the Grunt shot back and Steven gasped in a wide eyed expression.

He had a point… but…

"Still didn't need to do that," he murmured under his breath as he turned to watch the pained look of the whimpering man behind him. Rick merely chuckled alongside him.

"No wonder the Boss is so interested in you," the Grunt grinned as he swerved into the corner next to the worried looking Red and his Wartortle. Steven snapped his head 'round in surprise.

"What?" he called down after him but Rick merely gave him a grinning and fleeting glare. "Wait! Answer me!" he called again and ran after him.

_**11**_

She sighed again for the umpteenth time as she lay in the darkness of the well she had been thrown into. She had no idea where she even was bar her kidnapping on Route Seventeen.

"No Pokémon… no Escape Rope…" she murmured and even began to feel tears stinging at her eyes as she did so. "And it's all my fault," the young red head lamented quietly in the dark. She was lucky so far however that she had managed to unbind herself after much struggling though all in vain without the means to escape.

"Yo!"

Her eyes widened and her head snapped up in a surprised gasp. "Wha-" she murmured in surprise.

"Misty! You down there?" the voice called again.

She didn't imagine it!

"Y-Yeah! W-Who-"

"It's me! Steven! I'll get you out, just hold on!" the owner of the voice called back down, his voice echoing in the well she was bound to.

Her heart beat stopped; she couldn't believe it.

He was _alive?_

Suddenly she wanted to hit him for making Bill and her worry then she felt happy he was alive.

Emotions were a strange thing.

In slow succession a brown coloured rope _(though as dark as it was)_ lowered itself down near her, the sound alerting her. The red head narrowed her green eyes as she fumbled around for the brown rope, quietly cursing to herself as she continually missed it. However she finally managed to grab hold of it and gasped with a growing smile as she did so.

"Okay! I have it!" she called up.

"Right! I'll pull!" the boy's voice exclaimed back down to her and she nodded wordlessly before gripping hard hold of it and waiting for the rope to be pulled. Sure enough it was but not by much. She could even hear him grunting in the exertion of his effort.

She felt bad all of a sudden.

And with that in mind she raised up a hand to her mouth to amplify a response. "Hold on tight! I'll make it myself!" she called up and sure enough the pulling halted in favour of a simple status quo. With that she narrowed her aqua green eyes as she laid her feet on the wall in front of her and pulled herself up using the Escape Rope she gripped on.

Time produced results and she almost laughed in relief as she reached the top, finally seeing _some_ semblance of light again. It almost blinded her but becoming used to it after a short period helped as she recovered with a healthy bounce and turned her head 'round to find the smiling Steven standing on her right. She couldn't help but smile back and rush in for an embrace. Steven gave a happy chuckle as she did so, returning the hug.

Finally she pulled back however and smiled at him. "Thanks for coming for me," she said and Steven shook his head in his own smile.

"I owed you anyway," he returned and she playfully punched him lightly on the shoulder. He laughed.

"We done here?" Rick grunted over angrily and Misty's eyes widened as she snapped her eyes 'round surprised.

"Wait, wait it's okay!" Steven quickly ran to the rescue, attempting to calm down the young girl. Rick stood over her with a distasteful scowl and fold of his arms as he did so. "He's on _our_ side!" he hissed and she turned her head with a light scowl of her own.

"For how _long?_" she hissed back and Steven blinked.

She had a point.

"We'll just have to work with him; he hasn't stabbed me in the back or anything so," the boy began as he frowned. He neglected to mention the little 'miss' of Rick's bullet not just minutes ago however.

"Yeah well…" Misty began in narrowed eyes before she turned her glare into a frown, turning to the watching Steven. However sudden movement to her left caught her eyesight and she turned her head almost immediately, her reflexes top notch. She caught sight of a cringing young red head that looked almost her _twin_.

Misty thought she was looking through a _mirror_ of all places.

The first thing she noted was her physical beauty; she was a little older, had smoother skin and a more womanly appearance than she did. This new red head also wore a small swim suit underneath a familiar, long red and white jacket that seemed a little too big for her petite body.

_Steven's_ jacket.

The red head in front of her cringed as Misty's glare reached her however it didn't last for long as the former Gym Leader turned her glare on the surprised and blinking Steven. "What?" he asked curiously but she scowled back at him before turning her heel and walking off, presumably for the exit to the Power Plant. Steven watched her leave with a mystified stare and Rick snorted as he watched.

"Stupid little fuck," the Grunt grinned as he unfolded his arms and walked off, his comment obviously directed to the blinking Steven.

"What?" he called this time in curious frustration, even raising up his arms in a bewildered shrug however no one answered him. The boy sighed in exasperation and with a smile to his new friend Red he nodded forward and she nodded along with him, walking on.

After retrieving Misty's missing Pokémon she thankfully now had some way to defend herself and Steven was glad.

Even _if_ she was being a little kid around him.

"So why haven't you left kid?" Rick asked in a narrow eyed, suspicious scowl as he stared straight ahead of himself and Steven narrowed his own back, glancing up as he did so.

"I stick by my word," he shot back and the man grunted back in a snort.

"Oh yeah; your _word_." the Grunt grinned back amusingly. "Wonder how many of those cunts you betrayed using that tidy little speech,"

"Between us two I'm the only one that hasn't committed murder so _my_ word's the word we'll be trusting." Steven shot back in a narrow eyed scowl of his own and Rick's eyes darted over in a sudden dark look of his own. "Got it?" the boy added on almost threateningly and Rick snorted in quiet laughter.

"Little man Murray's finally got balls huh." the Grunt smirked over but Steven merely ignored the man.

He was already sick of him; he couldn't _believe_ he used to be so afraid of him. The man was still _insanely_ dangerous though; had to remember that. Regardless the red capped boy jogged forward to catch up with his companion of old, also ushering Red to keep close away from Rick.

He was constantly worried about the Grunt.

"Misty?" he called quietly as he walked up to her, placing a hand on her right shoulder. She shrugged it off almost violently and Steven blinked in wonder. "Misty?" he tried again and went for her other shoulder but received a similar response.

What was _up_ with her?

Wasting no more time the red capped Trainer narrowed his eyes determinedly and leapt in front of her, arms barring her exit. She stopped in front of him and folded her arms, scowling at him as she did so.

"What's wrong with you? All of a sudden you changed and I-" he began but she quickly found a way 'round his words.

"All of a 'sudden'?" she hissed back in repeat, eyes narrowed in thinly veiled anger. "Look at her," the red head added and Steven blinked at her, taken aback.

"Huh?" he simply asked and she pointed accusingly at the squeaking Red behind her.

"_Look_ at her!" Misty hissed on as she scowled angrily, leaning forward. Steven blinked in surprise but he did.

All he saw was a young woman dressed in his jacket and barely any-

… Oh.

He opened back up his mouth to shoot back a miffed reply but she gave him not the time of day and merely walked on by with a haughty sniff.

Oh come _on_ he thought.

She can't be _jealous_.

"Ugh." he murmured under his breath. He would never _think_ of replacing Misty.

Although he had to admit; Red _did_ have her charms.

But still!

"There she is!"

Steven's heart beat stopped.

Misty yelped in surprise as she walked down one of the Power Plant's many corridors. Three men stood near the end of the ruined corridor, all glaring at the wide eyed red head. The one in the middle however was a large man of stature _and_ size, eyes narrowed threateningly.

Steven growled and rushed forward to assist his companion, making sure to usher Red forward for additional support; the three could take them no sweat he figured. However as the three men all rushed ahead to blitz the three Trainers, Steven narrowed his eyes and readied his Snorlax's Poké ball, hoping his team mates had the same idea.

And yet before he could even throw the sphere the wall to the group's right burst apart in a shower of stone and rock.

"What the-" one of the men roared in a mixture of anger and bewilderment however he didn't have long; a fast yellow blur shot by and sunk its back legs into his lower stomach. He was sent flying back into the wall behind him with a choked cough but the yellow blur had no time to waste as it rushed over toward the screeching man on its left. Sure enough it gave off a similar attack as before; the Double Kick it seemed to be and the man – like his comrade – was sent flying back into the wall, knocked unconscious.

"Who-" Steven blinked in surprise as he watched however the dust settled and there he was; a grinning and folded armed Bill standing at the half way edge of the tunnel, Steven's Jolteon at his side. It barked triumphantly as its many tails wagged for its master. "Bill! Jolteon!" he called in a happy grin, laughing even as he did so. He exchanged his grin with the watching Misty before the two ran off for the Administrator and the Electric Type. Red winced and struggled to keep up but tried anyway.

Rick behind them gave a disappointed grunt though followed.

"Yo!" the smiling Bill called as he waved a hand to the running trio and the walking Grunt behind them. He noticed the man but chose not to ask however with the growing danger at his back, the young man switched his head 'round to glare at the large bald man now grinning back at him, mere yards away. Misty and the group caught up quickly enough.

"What's happened; did you call the police?" the red head briskly asked the narrow eyed young man. He merely nodded in response, hoping the grinning bald man ahead of him couldn't hear them. Steven grinned as he knelt next to his Jolteon.

"You really kicked butt back there!" he complimented his Electric Type with an affectionate rub of its electric fur. It barked appreciatively and allowed its Trainer to pat it. "Thanks for helpin' us; twice." the Trainer finished in a happy chuckle, earning another happy bark from the Electric Type. It wagged its tails at him enthusiastically before he rose up the Pokémon's spherical abode and called back the Electric Type.

"Hey kiddies." a voice grinned in and the boy snapped his head to his right.

A bald man stood in their path.

This must be… the leader!

"Camron." Rick grinned into the scene as he pushed past the blinking Steven. "Never thought I'd see _your_ ugly mug again," the Rocket Grunt grinned over at the bald man whose own grin soon shrank from his face. His eyes widened as he seemingly recognised the Grunt.

"Rick!" the bald man gasped in sudden surprise as he widened his eyes at the grinning Grunt. "We all thought you… you _died_ with-"

"That was me." the usually angry man grinned over in a satisfied expression. Camron blinked before slowly expanding his eyes once more in a surprised gasp. "Yeah; I killed 'em all," he admitted with his antisocial grin.

"Your _own…?_" the Cue Ball muttered back in a taken aback, open mouthed frown. Rick smirked back strongly.

"Oh yeah," the Grunt shot back. He gave an affirmative grin and nod as he did so.

"Shit man." Camron muttered in taken aback, widened eyes. He _now_ seemed to notice the odds and gasped in further surprise before this time trying a happy go lucky _(and chancing)_ chuckle. "Hey guys can't we uh, ha, ha; work this out?" the large man laughed weakly as he rose up his arms in some kind of defence, cringing as he did so.

Bill grinned over at his companion and gestured forth. "You want to do the honours?" he asked and Misty shook her head. He blinked.

"Steven deserves to; after all he nearly died." the red head admitted and the scowling Steven in question stepped forth as if his cue.

The Cue Ball was not delighted.

His growing fear was so great that he turned and ran in a worried whimper, his flab slowing him down it seemed. Steven yanked out a Poké ball, ready to throw when a shot burst from a weapon, screaming through his ears and sending the wide eyed boy flailing on his side.

Rick… of course.

The large man yelped as the shot burst into his right shoulder, sending him falling to the ground in a pained and unprofessional heap.

"Rick!" Steven suddenly yelled out as he scrambled to his feet in a grunt. The Grunt pushed past him and the rest of the group, eyes set on his prize it seemed. He rose up his gun to fire off another round but Steven rushed for the man. He attempted a tackle to take the man down and _did_ succeed but only after the Grunt fired off his weapon.

Rick yelled angrily as he was taken down to the ground, falling on his side as he did so, his weapon sliding out of his hands and across the dark Power Plant's floor. Steven growled as he got up and leered at the man beneath him.

"Why do you _do_ that all the time; there's no _need_ for-" the boy exclaimed down in frustration at him however he was swiftly interrupted. Rick grunted in his dark scowl as he swivelled 'round and issued the boy a back hand across the cheeks. The red capped boy grunted in the surprise and pain as he was sent back across the floor however it didn't end there for the poor boy; Rick quickly got to his feet and managed in a kick to the boy's yelping chest.

Bill leapt to action and narrowed his eyes as he grabbed the man's arms from the back, attempting to sate him back from the attack. He received an elbow to the face as expected however and Rick yelled angrily as he continued his assault on the boy.

"Little prick!" Rick screamed down at the coughing boy below him, punctuating each of his kicks with an effort filled grunt. "I'll fucking _KILL YOU!_" his voice practically screeched in all his flaring anger, his kicks becoming much more forceful it seemed. Misty's, Red's and even Bill's pulls at his arms and legs were all in vain however and it all seemed hopeless until a Wartortle burst out of its Poké ball and narrowed its eyes as it crashed its thick skull into the wide eyed and wheezing Rick's chest. It sent him skidding across the ground with the Water Type turtle and the Wartortle huffed in a miffed frown as it stood on top of the man's chest, arms on its hip toughly.

Rick was quick to react however and growled as he made to leap and strangle the Pokémon on his chest however before he could even do anything the Water Type's eyes widened and its body suddenly shined a bright, white light. Rick yelled in his constant anger as he rose up his arms to block the assault to his eyes, as did everyone else whom watched. Time passed and sure enough the light faded to reveal a surprised looking Pokémon in its place; a heavy looking and _(obviously)_ bigger turtle. Misty blinked and went into the groaning Steven's back jean pocket for his Pokédex Version I, scanning the creature as she opened it up.

_#009 Blastoise; Classification – Turtle Pokémon_

_It crushes its foe under its heavy body to cause fainting. In a pinch, it will withdraw inside its shell._

"Wow." she murmured in wonder as she watched the large and taken aback Water Type with awe of her own, appreciative of Water Types in her own right. The newly evolved Blastoise blinked over at the group, as if surprised by its own transformation before it shrugged and grinned down at the grunting Rick. Suddenly it was much more difficult for the once threatening Rocket Grunt to move. He repeatedly bashed at the Blastoise's hard shell but was met with a pained retreat of his own hands and a yelp for his trouble.

The Blastoise grinned handsomely as it showed off its newfound muscles to the group, receiving appreciative 'ooh's' and 'aah's'. Finally its Trainer however managed to his feet though not without the assistance of his new companion Red.

"Thanks." he rasped in all his pain. She smiled over at him and even _Misty_ had to cringe at her own mistake.

Taking his Pokédex and not even helping him up.

Well _done_ she thought.

The boy's red eyes raised up however to behold the new Water Type that folded its arms toughly on top of the grunting Rick's chest. "Wha-" he murmured in a surprised blink as he did so before regaining control of his own body and taking a few steps forward. "W-Wartortle?" he murmured in a curious frown, turning his head as he did so. Misty shook her head and walked over, handing him his Pokédex back.

"It's a Blastoise now." the Water Type specialist smiled at him and he blinked at her strangely. She gestured down at his new entry in the Pokédex Version I. Sure enough he quickly went over it before widening his eyes and yanking his head back up. He found his new Blastoise grinning over at him in a show of adorable self confidence, its muscled left arm raised to point at him. It curled its fingers together to form a strong fist and Steven laughed suddenly, his injury temporarily forgotten as he burst forward to hug the Water Type.

"You did it!" he laughed and embraced the similarly grinning Blastoise. "I _told_ ya we'd make you stronger than a Charizard!" the boy claimed in a grinning raise of his fist. He eclipsed his with the Pokémon's in a brotherly fist bump and suddenly received a splash of water to the face. He blinked comically. "Old habits die hard I guess." the boy murmured in wide eyed, blinking surprise.

The group _(bar Rick obviously)_ couldn't help but laughing aloud.

A/N: Well that's quite almost the longest Chapter so far; definitely one of my more bigger ones anyway. In any case I'm off to Kart 7 it or Battle Revolution; whatever comes first. Hope you lazy bastards enjoyed; Kenrai signing off!


	16. Dance of the Moon

**Chapter 16: Dance of the Moon**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Route 2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/16/17/18/19/20/21/22" – Pokémon Fire Red/Leaf Green. **__Scene __**1**__._

_A/N: GodDAYUM that Route music was used a lot!_

* * *

_It was only after beating down the Kanto Biker Federation gang that operated near Routes Sixteen, Seventeen and Eighteen did Misty, Bill and Steven manage to move on to Fuchsia City and of course the next ICL Gym Badge._

_But with a new companion added to their ranks; the mute self described by Steven as 'Red', they agree to ferry her to as far as she requires. With little to no information from her the group deal with her purely through simple kindness as the red haired beauty had earlier saved Steven's life from the Kanto Biker Federation's vicious attack._

_Now with Fuchsia City set in their sights, Bill, Misty, Red and Steven all move on to the 'Happening and Passing City'…_

_**Scene 1**_

After the small crisis in the newly reappointed Power Plant, Steven and company had managed to capture the struggling Richard Scott and send him in to the authorities luckily enough. Although his partner Ben had eluded capture, Steven was feeling great about himself as well as things.

However with his old Wartortle now evolved into a Blastoise, Steven was proud, more than proud in fact.

Actually he was overjoyed.

The boy grinned as he walked next to his new Blastoise, the huge Water Type turtle grinning back at him now and then as they walked the rest of Route Eighteen. By now they had already taken down at least a dozen Trainers on their _own_ using only Blastoise.

Incredible Steven would think but then… it _was_ his new Blastoise.

Granted he had to remember he wasn't as strong as he used to think he was.

"_So let's tone it down a notch."_ the boy thought to himself as he walked further up, losing his grin. Yet he couldn't help quickly regaining it and turning his head 'round to give his companions the brunt of it. For the most part they all smiled back; Red, Misty _and_ Bill but as soon as he turned his head back Misty couldn't help but roll her eyes in a frown.

"_Ohhh_ I'm getting sick of that," the former Gym Leader muttered under her breath as she followed him grudgingly. Bill at her left side blinked down at her out of his humming and frowned.

"What do you mean?" he asked simply and curiously. Her eyes drooped annoyingly and she turned her head around to glare back up at him silently.

"I know his Blastoise is cool and all but it doesn't give him the right to act like an asshole again," the red head shot back up at him and Bill cringed.

"What's wrong with _you?_" he asked quietly and Red at their side shifted uncomfortably.

Suddenly Bill knew.

"Oh _shut up_." the red head hissed venomously before quickening her pace to head away from the two seemingly to join their red capped companion instead. Bill cringed as he watched her storm off before he put on a smile and turned his head.

"Don't mind her; she's just a little cranky today." the Administrator smiled down at their new companion. Red smiled warily back up at him and turned her head forward again, away from his eyes. Bill winced again as he turned back in a frown. It was clear even to _him_ that Misty disliked Red's presence. Why he couldn't truly fathom but women – even small ones – were a total mystery to the computer wizard.

Eh it'll pass he thought as a smile soon grew back on his face.

"So…" Misty began as she put a light smile on her face and walked in pace with the surprised Steven. "How's Blastoise and Steven today?" she asked as she almost grinned, turning her head. The boy grinned back at her.

"What do ya think Blast huh?" the Trainer turned his head back to grin at his Water Type. It shrugged almost a little arrogantly in its own grin. Steven turned back. "Yeah we're cool; usual godliness over here," the boy added on arrogantly but even Misty saw his joke. She chuckled.

"It's nice to see you two are great together now," the red head admitted in a smile and Steven grinned as he gave the Pokémon in question a manly high five.

"Rockin' five!" he grinned.

Misty's grin fell. "But that doesn't mean you can't get complacent okay? Remember last time?" she asked.

He turned in a frown of his own. "Yeah I remember." he nodded quietly and gravely. "If it wasn't for Red I probably wouldn't even _be_ here," he added despairingly, lowering his head. Blastoise imitated its Trainer and Misty rolled her eyes in frustration at the mention of the glittering red head behind them.

"The point _is_." she began in an annoyed sigh. "You can't be too careful with people these days; there's a lot of them that _will_ generally try to kill you. You should know that by now," she stated in a disappointed expression. He frowned at her before nodding.

"Sorry." he mumbled almost inaudibly as he lowered his head in his nod, turning to walk off toward the Fuchsia City. Misty watched him with a sense of light regret and winced lightly as she did so.

No, she thought. He needs to be told this; he's learning anyway. A smile slowly grew on her face and a feeling of not only light admiration at the boy's recent growth filled her but also a strange sense of something else; something she couldn't pin down completely.

Strange.

However that feeling was quickly lost to whatever void it came from when the smiling Red walked by her with Bill at her tail. She narrowed her eyes threateningly at the red head but her glare was lost to the unbeknownst young woman and she traversed unharmed from the dangerous kill.

Bill however saw it and mouthed a silent apology towards her with a cringing shrug of his arms. She wasn't even sure _why_ she hated 'Red'; probably because of the red head's sudden appearance, muscling in on everyone's territory. _Especially_ when she talked to Steven; she couldn't be trusted.

It was just a generality.

She sighed and rolled her aqua marine eyes in annoyance before following.

She can put up with it for a while longer.

_**2**_

"_Happening and Passing City_ huh," Steven murmured as he read the city's position and name from his country map.

"It's a grand, historic city with many a detail inside!" Bill began with an exuberant smile as he strode on next to his blinking and curious companion. "They have their own Safari Zone and their own Pokémon Zoo too for the tourists!" he claimed out with.

"Wow!" Misty mouthed as she took a step next to the knowledgeable young man. "What kinds of Pokémon in the zoo do they have on show?" the Cerulean Leader asked as she turned her head. Bill smiled down at her.

"Oh all kinds! Some of them are taken directly from their own Safari Zone as a teaser for interested Trainers and some are unique!"

"Well…" Steven began with a light grin as he folded up his map and folded his arms as he stood a step further than his two companions, his Blastoise following him with its own grin. "Guess it's time to fill up that Pokédex for old man Oak! Right?" the boy grinned as he turned to his loyal Water Type. It turned its head to grin back and they issued each other a brotherly fist bump before they both suddenly rushed off in their similar impetuous nature.

"Wait!" Misty called for the millionth time since meeting the boy. This time however he stopped and turned with a surprised and curious blink. "Forgetting something?" she shot over in a narrow eyed frown, disapproving it seemed. Steven's eyes rolled up as he stood in physical limbo, as if trying hard to remember however he quickly widened his eyes with a grin. Misty could almost see a light bulb go off her head.

"Oh yeah!" he called out before turning his body 'round to get a fuller look at the party behind him. "Come on Red!" he exclaimed with his grin as he quickly dashed over. Grabbing the wide eyed woman's hand in his own he rushed off with the squeaking young red head, leaving the taken aback Bill and Misty dazed from his actions.

Bill however quickly recovered and looked down to his right using his eyes only and cringed when he did so.

Misty's face was a paragon of hidden anger; twitching eyes and borderline scowling as she watched the three run off ahead of her.

Saving time!

"You can come with me Misty! I'm checking out the Safari Warden's house; it's like a museum!" he smiled down at her as he gripped onto his back pack fastened behind him. The Water Type specialist only stood in a half scowling, half twitching glare, watching the three ahead of her disappear away from her view.

Bill sighed.

* * *

"Ooh!" Steven murmured as he pressed his arms and face to the glass in a rather childish show of fascination. Soon however his open mouthed frown turned to an involuntarily snarl as his nose pressed too far up the glass. A Chansey beneath him in the glass area winced at his appearance and backed away as much as it could from its visitor. The red capped boy watched it for a few more seconds before turning his head away from the glass and grinning. "Yo Red! Look at this one!" he called the woman over. She turned from her own examination and blinked as she walked on over, leaning next to the boy as she read the entry.

_#113 Chansey_

_Classification: Egg Pokémon_

_It lays several eggs a day. The eggs are apparently rich in nutrients and extremely delicious._

"Looks sorta puny to lay lots like that in one day huh?" the boy asked no one in particular as he watched the Normal Type below him with a curious turn of his head, blinking as he frowned down at it. Red next to him couldn't help but let out a quiet titter. The boy however snapped his head 'round to his right and ran across, gripping the woman's hand as he did so. She widened his eyes as he dragged her across the area before finding another Pokémon inside a glass container. This one however was one with water submerged inside. Steven widened his red eyes and pressed his face to the glass again to find _(undoubtedly a Water Type)_ a water like fish style Pokémon. It looked at him strangely and stopped in its swimming routine, as if surprised by him.

_#131 Lapras_

_Transport Pokémon_

_Its high intelligence enables it to understand human speech. It likes to ferry people on its back._

"Wow." Steven murmured as he read the sign of the Pokémon inside; a Lapras sure enough. He turned to have a look at his Blastoise across from him on his far left as if to compare the two and squinted as he did so before finally grinning.

He had the better deal.

"Ugh…"

The boy blinked and turned his head to the sound of the interrupting voice to find a person to his far right, hiding behind something it seemed. He turned back to Red and nodded when she turned her head, as if a silent agreement for him to continue on alone. The boy frowned as he walked east before turning his head around one of the many Pokémon Zoo exhibits.

He found a young girl gasping on the floor on her hands and knees, long purple hair shaking in system with her body. A fallen Zubat stricken with fatigue it seemed lay at her side, gasping away with her. Steven frowned and joined his arms behind his head in a care free manner he was known for before he took a few steps forward to meet her. She didn't seem to notice until the last minute and gasped as she snapped her messy head of mass purple up to widen her eyes at him.

"Yo!" Steven greeted in a light smile as he stood above her. She winced and trembled as she attempted to stand.

"I-I'm sorry; I'll find somewhere else to-" she began but yelped as her leg caught on her Zubat's, causing her to fall once again. Steven winced as he watched and leant down to give her a hand. She took it gratefully but not without an embarrassed blush to her cheeks and a sweating cringe. "S-Sorry," she apologised.

"It's cool." the boy replied with an amiable smile and shake of his head as he pulled her up with an effortful grunt. "What are you doing out here alone anyway?" he asked. She winced and looked down away from his eyesight and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Training… for my father,"

"Why?" the boy blinked back.

"Well my father's the Gym Leader of this town and I'm supposed to succeed him soon but… I don't…" she began in another weak wince. Steven's frown grew and he narrowed his eyes.

"But you don't what?"

"I don't think I can do it," she lamented and almost even began crying as she did so. Steven's frown turned almost angry and he folded his arms at her.

"Not with _that_ attitude you're not," he shot back and she gasped out of her crying to frown back open mouthed at him.

"Wha-"

"You can't just back away from a chair like that after some failed attempts!" Steven exclaimed at her in an annoyed tone as he frowned at her disapprovingly. She blinked at his verbal assault and waited for him to finish. "You gotta get stronger! Both in will _and_ in spirit!" he added on with a morale raising punch to his chest as he did so. The young girl blinked at him before slowly smiling. He grinned back this time and spoke. "And then your Pokémon will follow that example! Just the way that we did," he grinned as he turned to his right to find his Blastoise walking up to him with a grin of its own. He raised up his left hand to give the large Water Type another brotherly fist bump.

"T-Thanks," she smiled at him gratefully and he turned back with his infectious grin.

"In fact tell ya what!" he began with a point to her as he did so and she blinked in response. "We're gonna help you train! Right Blastoise?" he grinned behind him in finish, eliciting a raised fist in the air from the huge turtle.

"Blast!" it exclaimed deeply and strongly as it grinned down at the blinking young girl.

"So!" Steven began and pulled her attention back, raising his arm to shake. "Steven! Yours?" he grinned at her confidently and she blinked before smiling back and raising her own to take his.

"Janine," she introduced with a smile.

"All right." he began and lowered his arm. "Then let's begin!"

_**3**_

Misty muttered angrily to herself as she trudged along Fuchsia City's excuse for 'streets' behind the unfortunate Bill ahead of her. Bill himself sighed quietly to himself as he walked, gripping the arm grips back pack with both hands as he did so. It seemed only yesterday that Steven was the immature one and Misty had to keep him in line.

Now the roles were almost reversed.

Except it was _Bill_ that had to keep _Misty_ in line.

Honestly he had no real idea why she should feel left out of anything from their new companion's addition. For one she was a shy mute and carried a level of innocence around her that even _she_ must have found charming.

Though apparently not.

Then he noticed how she would stick to Steven's arm so fiercely when Red was around them, the red capped boy especially. It was either jealousy that she'd be thrown out of the group somehow and replaced _(how she may have came to _that_ conclusion he had no idea)_ or jealousy of _another _kind.

A kind he did not want to tread into.

Even William Rivers – reputed computer fanatic and anti social 'nerd' – knew a little of female emotion.

"Are we there yet?" Misty mumbled over at him and he blinked to turn around and smile at her.

"Sure! Almost!" he smiled back and she rolled her eyes. He sighed quietly again as he turned around.

She could be childish when she wanted to be.

Oh well, he conceded.

"Ah! Here we are now!" the computer literate young man smiled widely as he stopped marching. Misty continued to halt next to him and frowned in a blink as they studied ahead of them. A large sign stood outside the house of the tourist attraction himself.

_Fuchsia City Safari Zone Warden_

"I guess this is it," Misty murmured in a disinterested frown and Bill smiled.

"Well let's go! Maybe he can tell us all about the Safari Zone before we go inside it!" the Administrator smiled at her before walking forward to lead. Misty rolled her eyes silently but followed dutifully.

"Oh joy." she murmured under her breath as she did so. The Administrator knocked on the door ahead of him with a frowning open mouthed expression, his eyes moving away as if in wonder to listen. The door opened but to their surprise a frowning man dressed in blue uniform frowned back at him irritably. Bill of course was taken aback.

"Yes?" the man asked in a near scowl. His untidy facial appearance showed his lack of shaving for the morning and an obvious sign he had been called out of bed for this.

Bill felt bad all of a sudden.

"Ah… we're here to have a look around if it's fine?" he asked in a smiling wince. The uniformed man – obviously an ICL Police Operative – frowned back at him as if he were insane.

Oh jeez.

"Mr. Baoba has gone missing; we're currently investigating his disappearance." the man shot back and Bill frowned in a surprised blink.

Wow, he thought.

"Will that be all?" the officer asked briskly and Bill stuttered over his words as he attempted to reply however seemingly growing impatient the officer slammed the door in his face angrily.

"Jerk," Misty muttered under her breath with a narrow eyed scowl.

"Well… that was interesting." Bill blinked in a frown.

* * *

Red smiled as she watched the young boy ahead of her battle with the long haired sixteen year old, purple haired Gym Leader successor. His Blastoise and her Zubat were certainly getting a workout anyway; so far they had battled at least five times over and even Steven was feeling the toll.

He grinned as he panted from his side of the small makeshift battlefield, his Blastoise still standing strong. Even _he_ was surprised at Janine's resilience from his own attacks even if they _were_ pulled back.

She certainly had Gym Leader material he thought.

"Blastoise! Finish it; Aqua Tail!" he exclaimed out in his order. She had survived long enough; time to end it he thought.

"Q-Quick! Double Team evasion!" Janine shot out with as she gripped her fingers together. Sure enough – as tired as it was – her Zubat executed its move and suddenly doubles of the Poison Type flier appeared. Steven's Blastoise widened its eyes as it crashed its Aqua Tail across a clone of the Zubat harmlessly.

"Ngh!" Steven grunted in a wide eyed scowl.

She wasn't supposed to win!

"Air Cutter counter attack!" the Poison Type apprentice yelled out as she narrowed her eyes; her victory in sight. Steven's heart beat rose as he watched her Zubat pull back its wings for its assault.

"Protect!" he yelled out and the Water Type did so; frowning in its own narrow eyed scowl as it raised up its left arm. A multicoloured, transparent shield of light appeared as if from no where and Zubat's Air Cutter bounced harmlessly off the shield.

"Rrgh! Confuse Ray!" Janine exclaimed out in annoyance as she pointed forward in her order, barely able to stand upright from continuing fatigue anymore. Her Zubat readied itself and Steven's mind quickly clinked into place as to her strategy.

No he couldn't let her!

"Try another one!" he ordered and the Blastoise narrowed its eyes in effort. It attempted to bring up the shield of light once more but of course it couldn't. Its eyes widened and Steven gasped as the transparent ray that Zubat fired off made successful contact and Blastoise grunted as it was sent back a few feet, perhaps from the sheer surprise of the attack. "Blastoise!" he called out in worry and watched silently afterward. The Water Type soon began to stagger and its eyes resembled that if it was previously fainted.

No!

"All right _now!_ Air Cutter!"

The Zubat exclaimed its cry as it pulled back its wings once more to attack, sending forth cuts of gusted wind. This time they hit successfully and Blastoise grunted in its pain as it was sent tumbling down in the ferocious attack; an obvious Critical Hit.

At first when Steven saw his Blastoise fall face up in a wide eyed faint he got angry at Janine for winning. Then he realised his own mistake.

He chuckled and lowered his head before looking back up at the heavily breathing young girl before walking on over. He issued her Zubat a pat on the head for its effort and continued on to give the gasping Janine a hand. She looked up in a surprised blink.

"You did excellently," he complimented and she slowly smiled before taking his hand, grunting as she stood up.

"Thank you," the young girl smiled back as she nodded. Red behind the two gave them a ovation, smiling as she did so. Janine laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head as she did so whereas Steven grinned back.

"Now you're _sure_ to pass next time," the boy smiled before turning to the older Trainer. She frowned at him before swiftly smiling back and nodding.

"Yes and it's thanks to you." she replied and took his hand to shake. "Thank you," she thanked almost nervously in her smile. Steven grinned back and winked at her as he raised his free right hand to give her a confident thumbs up.

"No problemo!" he grinned at her. "Well… think it's time for us to head off! Think we'll have a look at the Safari Zone huh Red?" the boy turned his head around to grin as he called back his tired Blastoise into its Poké Ball. The silent red head nodded in a happy smile.

"I can join you if you want!" Janine spoke in with a smile of her own and Steven turned with a questionable frown and blink. "It's the least I can do for all your help," she admitted and Steven shrugged.

"Sure!" he smiled before walking on, ushering the watching Red to follow.

However when they got there it was a different story altogether.

Steven frowned in half surprise, half curiosity as he stood not far from the closed off Safari Zone. A man dressed in a smart suit paced up and down across the closed off building, cringing as he did so, his arms folded.

Steven smelled trouble almost instantly.

He seemed to notice the three standing there however and ran on over. Steven cringed and made to turn and run but it seemed too late.

"Thank goodness! Are you Pokémon Trainers? Please tell me you are!" the man pleaded as his bottom lip quivered, joining his hands as if in prayer.

"Uhm…" Steven began in a gulp, positively and hoping to decline whatever request the man had but a quick nudge from Red at his side made him reply positively instead. "Y-Yeah we are; us two," the boy claimed as he edged his thumb in reference to himself and the frowning Janine at his side.

"Oh thank the lord!" the man exclaimed suddenly before taking their hands and running off with them towards the building. Steven and Janine's eyes widened in surprise while the blinking Red followed them. They all walked inside the building through the open doors and Steven quickly noted how run down it looked.

As if someone had fought a _war_ through it.

"W-What's the damn _emergency?_" Steven exclaimed angrily as he swiped his arm free of the quivering man.

"O-Oh you won't believe this. I certainly didn't," he mumbled under his breath as he lowered his head and frowned, his lip quivering as he spoke.

"It's okay; go on," Janine smiled as she lowered her head.

"The Safari Warden! H-He's been kidnapped!" the man suddenly exclaimed and broke down into a crying sob. Steven and Janine both cringed at him but chose to soldier on it seemed.

"So you want us to go in and look for him is that it?" the red capped boy asked as he folded his arms and frowned down at him. The suited man nodded in a wince. He rolled his eyes. "All right then. This can work as a great training session for you Janine!" the boy grinned as he turned around and slapped the wide eyed purple haired girl on her shoulder. She grinned back and they nodded.

"Let's go then!" Janine grinned as she pointed forward exuberantly.

"Wait!" Steven exclaimed out as he stopped and she turned her head around in surprise. "Can she stay here with you? Is that safe?" the boy asked as he referenced to the blinking Red behind him. The man also blinked at him curiously before shaking his head of his surprise. He then nodded and smiled zealously.

"Y-Yes! I will alert the authorities to come and back you both up!" the suited man smiled and Steven grinned back.

"Great!" he grinned and turned to his new companion. "Ready?" he asked and she nodded in her own grin before gasping in widened eyes. "What?"

"I better do this first." she began before taking out a yellow hair band and tying her messy purple hair with it. Soon enough it hung back toughly, spiking up as it levitated in the air strongly. Steven grinned in silent agreement. "So it doesn't get in the way like last time." she laughed in apology. He shook his head and turned to run for the Zone's gate. She followed of course.

Red watched them leave with a concerned frown on her face.

_**4**_

"All right…" Steven began as he frowned out, eyes watching the huge bushed area ahead of him. "Where first then?" he wondered aloud.

"We should stick together,"

Steven blinked as he turned 'round. "Hm?"

"The Safari Zone; if I'm right then their Pokémon are let loose and probably feral," Janine quickly explained as she frowned ahead of herself, also examining the vast area.

A jungle it looked like.

"Then we gotta be careful." he replied with a narrow eyed frown as he thought of his weakened Blastoise. Lucky he had some medical supplies with him. "Okay where to first?" he asked her with a turn of his head. She blinked.

"Well… I've been through here before so I know it a little." the Apprentice replied as she pondered quickly, eyes darting between possible routes. "We have no idea where the Warden may be so our best bet is to search _around_ the Zone. Come on!" the purple haired girl ushered as she turned to her left and leapt off to run. Steven blinked but ran forward to follow anyway.

"Why _around?_ Why not inside the centre?" he called after her as they began to skim the western sides of the Safari Zone.

"The Warden's not an idiot! He knows that the strongest Pokémon all hang around the centre of the Zone!" she called back and Steven grinned as he clicked his fingers in knowing. She grinned along with him before they continued. It continued on like that for what seemed like forty minutes to an hour before they finally came across a clue; foot prints _(that thankfully Janine picked up on)_ and broken down trees.

It looked as if a _battle_ had been fought here.

Steven gasped for air as he stopped next to the agile Janine, tired out from his pursuit and barely able to take in any of the surroundings. "So what are we… seeing?" the boy gasped out as he laid on his rear, arms leaning behind him to catch his breath.

"This terrain looks torn up…" Janine wondered aloud as her head darted around the many clues. "Foot prints… claw marks… He was definitely here,"

"How can… can you tell?" the boy managed out as he turned his sweating head 'round.

"Look," she pointed briefly. The boy turned his head to find the foot prints she was talking about.

Human ones.

"So…" the red capped Trainer began as he sat up and frowned down at them in his quick moving thought.

Janine nodded. "Safari wild Pokémon have probably taken him,"

"But which ones?" Steven asked as he stood up in a grunt, walking on over in some attempt to see something she might not have.

"Personally?" she asked and turned her head. Steven frowned open mouthed and nodded. "A herd of Nidoking," she answered in a narrow eyed frown of her own and the boy's red eyes widened in a surprised gasp.

Nido_king?_

An evolved form of his Nidorino huh…

He didn't even know it _could_ evolve.

"You're probably right…" he murmured in a narrow eyed, calculative expression of his own, turning his eyes to follow the wreckage that the herd had so graciously left them. "You ready?" he asked and the girl grinned at him boyishly.

"That's _my_ line." she shot back and he couldn't help but grin before starting forward. She followed.

* * *

Steven had to admit he was _seriously_ worried.

When the two had finally pursued the tracks that the herd of seeming Nidoking had left them they came across the scene they had dreaded.

An unconscious man – the Safari Warden Baoba it seemed – was tied up and bound to a cross of some kind, crudely made and presumably from a tree's wood. As expected of course, the herd of Nidoking that took the Warden all danced around his body in some strange seeming ritual. A huge stone in the night sky between them all began to shine in the moonlight and Steven narrowed his red eyes as he watched.

He didn't even notice the time passing.

All right… they'd have to plan this.

"Any ideas?" he asked the Apprentice next to him who nodded in reply. He listened intently.

"Yes but it has to be _exactly_ according to plan." Janine began as she narrowed her eyes, darting them around the small forest area they had led them to. She seemed to be taking in details he couldn't see and decided in his wisdom to leave her to it; she must have been trained in this sort of thing. "Okay… here's what's happening." she started. "I need you and your Blastoise to cause a distraction,"

"Yeah?"

"So go!"

He stopped and turned his head slowly in a narrow eyed frown. "Say what?"

"You heard me!" she hissed and pointed downwards to the herd of marching Nidoking. "You have the Type advantage anyway right?" the young girl stated and Steven cringed. It wasn't _that_ that had neither him worried nor even the number of Nidoking below him.

But it was the simple fact she managed to neglect in explaining him the plan.

Though then again… didn't _he_ execute a similar ideal on her during their training battles?

… Okay!

"All right!" he conceded in a nodding frown before turning his head once more. "Then what?"

Janine grinned at him in the moonlight. "Then you wait for my signal," she added on.

"Which is?"

"You'll know it when you see it. After you _do_, high tail it out o' there," she ordered and leapt to a nearby tree's branch above them.

"Wait!" he hissed up at her and she frowned down at him. "Be careful!"

Janine smirked down at him. "That's _my_ line!" she hissed back down before leaping away out of sight. Steven gulped and steeled his nerves as he frowned down at the marching Poison Types with a narrow eyed expression.

He had a job on him.

But… here goes!

With expert throwing accuracy picked up by now from experience he threw Blastoise's Poké Ball high into the air with a back turn of his three right fingers. It sailed in the air before finally and suddenly snapping open. Steven leapt into the air to follow it and with narrow eyed determination he aimed his landing on the white energy forming into his newly recovered Blastoise, landing on its hard shell. The Blastoise narrowed its own burgundy eyes and Steven leaned hard on the turtle Pokémon's hard shell.

"Ready?" he asked it while they remained temporarily in the air. It nodded wordlessly. "Then Aqua Tail _that_ one." he whispered, pointing down silently toward the largest Nidoking that he could see; the one he figured was the leader.

After all cut off the head and the body will – theoretically – be destroyed.

Blastoise turned its body downward and pulled back its cannons before pulling them outside the back. It then shot water out from the cannons roughly, thus sending it sailing downward at missile like speed. Fortunately the Nidoking seemed busy in their ritual and didn't notice them until it was too late. The Nidoking they aimed for snapped its head 'round with a narrow eyed scowl and Steven's own red eyes widened as it did so.

"Now Blastoise _now!_" he yelled out in his manic order and the Water Type itself narrowed its eyes as it halted the water flow from its cannons. It then spun its body around and with water charged around its tail, it swished it strongly against the defenceless Nidoking's chest.

Yes!

The Nidoking roared in its pain as the Supereffective hit sent it flipping backwards, crashing to the ground roughly.

He might not even _need_ Janine for this!

Blastoise landed in a dust kicking skid, eyes narrowed as it spun itself 'round once more this time to face its new enemies. Steven remained on the Pokémon's back, his own eyes narrowed and hoped blindly for them to run. He figured he could take them… but still.

There's always the chance.

And these _were_ Nidoking.

Upwards always!

Unfortunately however the Nidoking around him didn't take it as a sign to flee, they rather a sign to _attack;_ the remaining herd all charged for him.

Uh oh!

Thinking fast the boy back shifted from his Blastoise and swiftly called it back before pitching another Poké Ball in. This time his Snorlax exploded out from within and narrowed its eyes with a pouting scowl on its face as its arms rushed to its side as if to protect its Trainer. An obvious use of the move 'Block'. The Nidoking seemed no less daunted and continued their merciless charge. Sweat slowly dripped from Steven's head as he watched, not from fatigue but from worry at the strain caused on his poor Pokémon.

Come on… come on…

"Now _push back!_" Steven yelled out in his order. Sure enough Caesar ahead of him growled as it pushed the wide eyed herd back to stumble a few steps and Steven grinned as he clicked his fingers in a small triumph. He couldn't relax yet though! "Belly Drum quick!" he ordered and the Normal Type did so, frowning as it drummed its large stomach with its beefy arms. Steven could almost _feel_ the aura of its attack statistic rising like a rocket in the sky and even felt a little worried as to how much damage it might cause.

No! Can't be hesitant especially now!

"Rest!" he ordered out with and the Normal Type conceded to do so. It smiled sleepily and gladly dropped to crash onto the ground limply behind itself. Its Trainer nearly lost his footing and winced as he did so; the Nidoking having the same problem it seemed.

'Least it counted for _something_.

Now!

The Chesto Berry it carried was suddenly gulped down as it did so however and the Snorlax snorted itself awake once more. Steven snapped his fingers in another triumphant grin before pointing forward exuberantly. By now the Nidoking were recovering and well on their way to charging him again. "_Earthquake!_" he roared out with a narrow eyed, open mouthed frown. His Snorlax growled deeply and raised its fists skyward before suddenly smashing them down onto the earth harshly.

_DUUUUUUM_

The next scene was almost indescribable of the damage caused.

But _man_ was it worth it.

The Nidoking herd all even seemed a little intimidated but it was beyond time to run; the ground all spat up rocks and crumbled underneath their feet harshly, soon smashing their bodies together with the damage. With the Supereffective damage caused _(and also with Caesar's already incredible physical attack heightened to a frightening level)_ the Nidoking all were needless to say, instantly down.

"All _right!_" the red capped boy grinned confidently as he snapped his fingers for the third and final time before running on over to congratulate his relatively new partner. He gave the lumbering leviathan a playful and gentle fist to its stomach, feeling the soft skin of its body. It pouted down at him as if offended by his gesture and he shrugged weakly up at it. It shrugged back and merely lowered itself to fall asleep once again. Its battle finished won and with near incredible attack power it smiled serenely as it snored away and crashed down roughly. Steven grunted as he attempted to steady his footing from the Normal Type.

He sighed however as he recovered and rubbed the back of his head before rising up Caesar's Poké Ball to recall it. "Good job." he praised quietly with a sweat dropping chuckle as he raised the Poké Ball to smile down at. Janine suddenly landed next to him and the boy nearly jumped in surprise. "Jeez!" the boy gasped in a relieved chuckle.

"You could have let _me_ handle 'em," she pouted over at him and he frowned back in a blink before smiling apologetically.

"Yeah sorry; I just seen the chance and took it." he smiled as he rose up his hands to rest behind his head. "Well what's important is the Warden's safe!" the boy smiled again as he turned. He found the now conscious man staring over at the two in a horrified frown. Steven blinked.

He must have saw Caesar fight.

"Ha, ha; sorry to worry you!" the boy called over in a happy go lucky grin. The man rolled his eyes and silently ushered them forward. Steven grinned behind him and Janine rolled her own eyes at him but followed nevertheless. He crossed over the unconscious forms of the herd of the Nidoking before suddenly gasping, stopping his march and frowning.

"What is it?" Janine questioned in a narrow eyed frown, eyes quickly darting around as if for an imaginary enemy.

The boy's red eyes traversed down to find and feel a Poké Ball on his belt shaking roughly. He plucked it off and narrowed his eyes down at it to find his old Nidorino leaping around inside its portable sphere. "Nidorino? What is it?" he murmured and it pointed its horn upwards as quickly as it could. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully; did it want him to look upwards?

He did so.

And nearly had a heart attack when he did.

A frightening shadow of a monster plummeted down on them and Steven gasped.

"Move!" he exclaimed and pushed Janine out of the way while back shifting himself. The monster – presumably a Pokémon – crashed onto the ground where they previously stood and snapped at the ground with two huge pincers on its head, both covered in intimidating looking tiny spikes. "What the hell is _that?_" he exclaimed in widened eyes and Janine quickly fingered a Poké Ball.

"A Pinsir!" she exclaimed out and Steven narrowed his eyes before yanking out his Pokédex Version I to confirm.

_#127 Pinsir_

_Classification: Stag Beetle Pokémon_

_Its two long pincer horns are powerful. Once they grip an enemy, they won't release until the foe is torn._

"Jeez!" he hissed under his breath with widened eyes as he read its entry. He was now intimidated enough.

"Watch out!" he heard Janine shout but he wasn't in enough time to evade the Pinsir's assault; it pushed forward its two pincers in another repeat of its previous move. Luckily however as Janine pulled him to her side it only managed to catch a shred of his red jacket. He gasped in widened eyes as it did so, watching his jacket's torn shred being manhandled by the seemingly insane Bug Type.

Man!

"You gotta be more careful!" Janine exclaimed in his ear as the two skidded back in recovery. Steven yanked himself off of her grip and narrowed his eyes at his new enemy whom also recovered though at a slower rate it seemed.

"What was that move?" he shouted back at her and she narrowed her eyes at the Bug Type.

"Guillotine! It'll automatically faint your Pokémon!"

"And what about us?" he called back. She seemed silent for a moment.

"What do you _think?_" she shot back and he growled in narrowed eyes.

That could have been _him_.

Just like with Giovanni.

Well no more!

The boy quickly assessed his options; his Snorlax and Blastoise were now way too tired even to defend against a brute like this. He still had his special Eevee and his loyal Nidorino left but he wasn't sure on Bug Type's weaknesses.

Time to take a chance!

"Let's go Eevee!" he called out as he threw forth its particular Poké Ball.

_BOM_

The narrow eyed fur balled Pokémon raised up its ears attentively as it exited the ball, standing to attention for its master.

"Are you _kidding?_" Janine exclaimed at him angrily and Steven growled. He chose Eevee because of its plethora of resistances and also because his intelligence on Bug Types weren't too high anyway.

He was regretting it already however.

The Pinsir leapt forth and made to attack.

Right!

"Sand Attack!" he ordered out and the Eevee did just that; it backed away a step before back kicking with its hind legs to kick up sand. The attack successfully connected and the narrow eyed Pinsir growled in anger however it still continued its merciless attack. "Out of the way quick!" its Trainer shouted out and the Eevee complied by leaping to the side in its nimble evasion. The Pinsir arms crashed into the ground harmlessly, kicking up rocks and dust angrily.

"A Pinsir can use _Fighting Type_ moves! Your Eevee doesn't stand a chance!" Janine's shout came forth once again and Steven gasped in sudden and knowing widened eyes.

She was right.

He made to recall the quick Normal Type but he wasn't fast enough and in his fumbling for the search the Pinsir quickly recovered and bulleted forth for the Eevee.

"Steven!" Janine exclaimed as she pointed forth.

Too late!

The Pinsir screeched angrily as it chop smashed the wide eyed Eevee into the ground harshly.

Its _attack power!_

It almost rivalled Caesar's!

He waited for the dust to settle and watched before cringing as his Eevee now came into full view; broken and fallen on its side and already covered in bruises.

Fainted.

"Rgh!" he exclaimed as he yanked up its Poké Ball to recall it successfully. His eyes darted over to the narrow eyes Pinsir, currently searching for them it seemed.

Yeah keep lookin' you big ape, he thought.

He plucked another Poké Ball off his belt and spun it around his fingers before bending his arm and holding it in front of his face, eyes narrowed angrily at the belligerent Pinsir ahead of him. His Blastoise was too tired to fight, his Snorlax though incredibly strong was susceptible to Fighting Type moves and his special Eevee was now downed.

Time to go old school!

"Janine." he whispered over and the Poison Type Apprentice turned her head with a curious blink. "I need you to keep it busy with your Zubat; can you do that?" he asked quietly in his request. Janine narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"Yes," she chose to reply and not ask. He was grateful.

"Good. This'll be our final test. For you _and_ me." he finished in a grin and Janine couldn't help but grin with him before she raised up her Poké Ball. Out popped her Zubat and she gave the boy a sibling like fist bump before leaping to the side out of sight. He turned his head back in a scowl and waited. Finally the dust settled.

Good.

Out came Janine's Zubat and flew at the wide eyed Pinsir. The Poison Type flier executed a swift and back flipping Air Slash. The wild Pinsir grunted and blocked the attack as best it could with its arms though was still sent skidding back in the pain of the Supereffective hit. The Pinsir however snapped its arms down and rumbled the earth beneath it with a swift Rock Type move; rocks from the Earthquake created previously all surrounded the recovering Zubat's position before finally they rose up and struck the screeching bat Pokémon.

"No!" Janine shouted and Steven winced.

Stone Edge.

Needless to say the Zubat crashed to the ground like a missile gone awry, screeching its cry as it did so. Janine recalled the Poison dual Type as she did so, the red energy travelling back to its Poké Ball. Steven however decided to take the chance and yelled as he ran forward to pitch Nidorino's Poké Ball forward. The Pinsir barely had time to recover and Nidorino flew out of its sphere, eyes narrowed and its horn placed forward to attack with.

"Horn Attack!" he yelled and the Nidorino did just so. It crashed into the wide eyed Bug Type's undefended side, sending it careering into the air. The two soon landed however rolled across the ground and Steven widened his eyes in surprise before running forward to catch up with the two.

The boy had no need to though it seemed for Steven's Nidorino was suddenly sent back where it came charging from, flying in the air with a pained yelp. It crashed against the huge stone the herd of Nidoking were previously marching around and soon fell to the ground in its pained look. Steven gasped as he saw the narrow eyed Pinsir give pursuit in the form of leaping into the air and plummeting down on the two. His Nidorino looked already in bad enough shape and Steven leapt forward.

No time!

He yanked the tired Poison Type from the ground and leapt to his side in an attempted evasion. Luckily he managed _just_ in time for the screeching Pinsir struck the ground with another of its Fighting Type attacks; the Brick Break it seemed.

Man what Level_ was_ this damn thing?

So went through the boy's head as he helplessly skid across the ground on his right side, his Nidorino safely in his arms as he did so. The Pinsir didn't let up however and turned its menacing stare over at them before leaping forward in another charge.

Oh come _on!_

The Bug Type growled as it met the two in mid air and tried another Brick Break but Nidorino saw it coming and with narrowed eyes it smashed the floor with its legs hard. Steven and Nidorino were instantly flown into the air and somersaulted above the puzzled Pinsir's head. Steven yelled in a mixture of surprise and fear as he did so and the two landed roughly on the ground; the Trainer in a pained grunt and Nidorino in narrow eyed grace.

Nidorino waited not for its Trainer to order it and so leapt forth in another attempt for a narrow eyed Horn Attack however the Pinsir saw it coming once more and turned its wide eyed hatred 'round to back hand the surprised Nidorino with a Fighting Type Counter.

No!

"Nidorino!" Steven exclaimed in widened red eyes as he leapt down the large rock, landing down on one knee. He successfully caught the rolling and near fainted Poison Type, crashing against his chest roughly as it did so. The Pinsir quickly moved in on their position and Steven's red eyes widened as he looked up to meet his maker.

The intimidating Bug Type narrowed its eyes angrily down at its opponent, as if he were a Magikarp that continually avoided its grasp, before it tested its large pincers above its head. They screeched together like they were blades and the Pinsir seemed to grin as it lowered its head slowly – and almost deliberately – to mix eyesight with him.

Oh no…!

The bullying Bug Type screeched as it opened up its pincers before yanking its head down to snap them at the screaming boy. Before they could connect however a light emanated from the Nidorino in Steven's lap and the Bug Type screeched in the pain as its light assaulted its eyesight.

"Agh!" Steven exclaimed as he shut his own eyes, praying not only for his own safety but the Poison Type in his arms also. He wasn't entirely sure but he heard the Pinsir recover and with an angry growl it reacquainted itself with its weakened enemies.

However before it could finish its attack, the light that enveloped the Nidorino soon formed into another creature of a humanoid form. It stood on two strong legs and with its beefy arms it blocked the two strong pincers, arms raised strongly. The two stood with narrow eyed scowls and strained as they did so. Steven watched with widened red eyes.

"N-Nidorino…?" he gasped out first but its appearance had obviously changed.

Nidoking!

It _evolved!_

His newly evolved Nidoking growled angrily before suddenly pushing its beefy arms outward. Instantly the Pinsir shrieked in pain as its pincers gave off a cracking sound. Nidoking took the upper hand and growled in narrowed eyes; wrapping its arms around its pincers and taking hold with its arms it yanked the surprised Bug Type in. It widened its eyes and brought up its small arms to protect itself but it was to no avail; Nidoking growled angrily as it butted its head against its enemy's in an obvious Headbutt attack. The Pinsir grunted and presumably from the sheer force of the attack it was sent careering across the forest ground painfully and into the bushes away from them. Steven gasped as he watched; unable to believe it before his Nidoking turned its head and grinned at him. It opened up its mouth to shine its fangs at him and gave him a thumbs up. He blinked stupidly before laughing nervously and scrambling for his Pokédex.

_#034 Nidoking_

_Classification: Poison Point Pokémon_

_It is recognized by its rock-hard hide and its extended horn. Be careful with the horn as it contains venom._

He blinked down at the entry and slowly rose up his head to take in his new, grinning Nidoking. His eyes began to well up with tears and a wide smile soon expanded on his face as he did so. Finally unable to contain his joy anymore the boy laughed ecstatically as he ran forward to eclipse the now dual Poison and Ground Type in an embrace. It grinned along with him and manfully pounded its Trainer's back, temporarily knocking the wind out of him.

"This is so great!" Steven grinned up at both his oldest and now newest Pokémon of all. "Thank you…" he finished in an appreciative smile. The neo Nidoking grinned at him again and shut one of its eyes as it did so to give him another thumbs up.

It reminded him of himself.

Before the two could relax further however another angry screech rent the air and they gasped, turning to face the old threat that was the wild Pinsir. It leapt from the bushes and charged ferociously at the two with its pincers sharpened once more; a presumable Double Edge?

Whatever!

"Ready?" he asked his Nidoking with a light grin and it grinned back with a persuasive nod before setting its two feet apart and readying its beefy arms. As soon as the lithe Pinsir got itself in close Nidoking caught the attack expertly with its strong arms, narrowing its eyes and grunting in the effort. From the Pinsir's sheer attack power however, Nidoking's feet skid slowly across the ground back behind itself.

Steven grinned however as he saw his Nidoking give a similar expression on its face. "Take it down! Submission!" he ordered enthusiastically with a shout. The Poison and Ground dual Type showed off its fangs in a smirk before suddenly yanking the pincers further to their respective sides, causing another pained crunch. It then leaned in and grabbed the wide eyed Bug Type by its neck before growling as it crashed its enemy's head upon the ground roughly.

No doubt that did some damage on Nidoking but that Pinsir's _gotta_ be fainted by now.

As the light smoke cleared, Steven let out a joyful whoop as he saw his Nidoking's grin as well as the limp Pinsir. Its face was set in shut eyed pain and surprise; fainted.

It'll be fine in time anyway.

The boy ran on over and Nidoking stood on up to follow its Trainer. The two soon exchanged a brotherly set of rotating fists before slapping their palms together in some sort of secret shake of some kind, grinning all the while. However before they could continue, a disc suddenly flew at the boy's face and he gasped though turning on his feet swiftly he narrowed his eyes as he spun and caught the blue coloured disc within his fingers expertly. He blinked down at it however.

What _was_ it?

Looked like one of those TM things but… different somehow.

"Nice catch," Janine's voice interrupted and the boy turned his head up with a surprised frown. There she was grinning at him, one hand on her hip and a grumpy looking old man at her side; obviously the Safari Warden Baoba.

"Mm," Baoba agreed in a grumpy grunt. Steven blinked at them before smiling widely.

"So you got out!" the boy grinned as he leapt over and threw out a hand to be shook. "Steven!" he smiled and the man grunted again, opting instead to roll his eyes at the young boy. He blinked in wonder though pulled his arm back regardless.

"'Course I got out ya dimwit." the man snapped angrily and Steven winced, pulling back as he did so. "Baoba." he grunted however in an indignant turn of his hand, introducing himself with a reluctant raise of his hand. Steven blinked before slowly smiling and raising his own arm to take the grumpy man's hand in his own.

"Great to meet ya!" he grinned and the man grunted indignantly once again. Steven chose to ignore it and frowned as he rose up the blue disc in his left fingers. "So what's _this?_" he simply came out and asked. The Warden rolled his eyes.

"A Hidden Machine; a HM," he claimed and Steven blinked.

"Huh?"

"It's like a TM ya idiot! Only it doesn't wear off after its use!" the old man barked at him angrily. Steven cringed at the man's grumpiness but took the time to examine the seemingly robust disc.

"So uh." he began in a curious blink, turning the disc by its middle hold so as not to scratch it. Examining it further he began again. "What HM is it?" he asked.

"Surf," Janine answered for him. Steven blinked up at the Apprentice in training. She smiled at him and folded her arms back.

"Uh," Baoba grunted in agreement, hunching his back and folding his own arms as he avoided the boy's eyesight. Steven slowly gained a grin and thought of his Blastoise.

Now he had a way to surf across the ocean!

"Wait, you're just _giving_ me this?" the boy suddenly blinked as he frowned up at the Warden in question. He turned his angry scowl on the Trainer and he flinched but tried not to back down again. "It _is_ yours isn't it?"

"Eh I got a hundred more," the man admitted.

"But-"

"TAAAAKE IIIIIIIT!" Baoba suddenly screamed in the wide eyed boy's face, spraying spit. The old man's neck stuck out in angry veins before he finally halted, pulling his angered scowl back. The Warden said no more and walked on by past the dumbstruck Steven.

"The _hell?_" the boy murmured as he turned his head to watch after the walking man.

Janine chuckled as she walked beside the boy. "Sorry about that; he can be a sourpuss at times,"

"Tellin' me," the red capped Trainer murmured in amazed eyes.

"Still though he wanted to show his gratitude somehow so… keep it! For his _and_ my thanks," the young girl smiled and Steven turned his head back in a curious blink. He wasn't sure what she was getting at until he realised she must have been on about the last minute training he gave her.

Not to mention the motivation building.

He soon gained a grin on his face and raised his hand to congratulate her fully. "No skin off my nose!" he claimed as he gave a manly handshake to the young girl before turning in a grin to his newly evolved Nidoking. "Right Nidoking?" he rallied in a one eyed grin, raising his fist as he did so.

The Poison and Ground dual Type grinned back and imitated its Trainer before the three burst out laughing.

* * *

A/N: Ragnarock ftw.


	17. Art of the Shinobi

**Chapter 16: Art of the Shinobi**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

"_**Rival Encounter" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Scene **1**._

"_**Switchblade" – Beyblade OST. **Ross' Theme (A). Scene **2 **(Second Half)._

_A/N: Koga ft-freaking-w._

_With the third Hidden Machine now under Steven's belt, his road to the once far off Cinnabar Island is now clear. However even through all his new achievements (which include his newly evolved and ever loyal Nidoking) he still has yet to achieve Fuchsia's Marsh Badge. With his victory in locating the Safari Warden as well as increasing the once meek Janine's confidence, he soon sets his sights on his next achievement; the Soul Badge…_

_Meanwhile Ross Oak continues his own journey alone in complete contrast to his rival and old friend. Already imbued with six of Kanto's ICL officially recognised Badges, he travels for his seventh; the Volcano on Cinnabar Island. However little does he know he's up for more than just a simple surfing to the island…_

_**Scene 1**_

Ross frowned as he stood on his Golduck's back, hands in his pockets coolly. He had just been through Fuchsia City and had gotten Koga's Soul Badge though was strangely attuned to its sense.

It wasn't the same as any of Steven's badges.

He wondered why idly as he stood on the surfing Golduck beneath him, eyes narrowed in thought. Maybe there was something to it; something about the Badges' difference.

Or maybe he was just being paranoid.

He shook his head and frowned as he shut his eyes.

Just focus on where he was going.

Currently headed for Cinnabar's Island of fire on Sea Route Twenty he had so far managed to beat the countless Swimmers that challenged him.

Easily of course.

He felt even almost a little sullied just by beating them, as if their stench of failure might even affect him.

Well whatever.

He had to admit the only one he ever seemed to _truly _think about battling anymore was Steven; the young boy was vastly improving since their last meeting in Celadon, not to mention his comparing to Pallet. Furthermore the red capped boy in question had so far nearly gained as many ICL officially recognised badges as _he_ did.

Keep an eye on that kid, Ross thought to himself as he surfed across the ocean.

Something splashed to his right.

With great reflexes, Ross turned his head and raised a finger in the air. Instantly his Golduck _(affectionately nicknamed 'Albacore')_ stopped itself and raised its head to turn in a frown towards its Trainer for further orders. It was minute but Ross saw it; a pair of hands dropped underneath the long bed of water to his top right followed by noticeable bubbles. No words were needed for the two and he nodded as the Golduck followed through, changing its destination for the sinking person.

He felt annoyed to be pulled off of his journey – even momentarily – but he supposed he _had_ to assist.

After all he _was_ the grandson of the world's authority.

Soon his Golduck dropped him off at the beach near to the area where the person was currently drowning. Ross frowned and with his arms folded nodded in a positive motion for his loyal Water Type to swim on under for the drowning person. The Trainer stood in a frowning, patient expression as he waited for his Pokémon's arrival. Soon enough the Water Type duck Pokémon reappeared and carried an unconscious young woman lying across its back. Ross raised a brown eyebrow but nevertheless nodded for his Golduck to bring her ashore.

The Golduck frowned and shrugged its back to rid itself of the unconscious young woman. Ross frowned down at her, lying face up and the sun bearing down on her. He didn't want to do it but he _supposed_ he had no choice. The Trainer sighed and bent down on one knee to rest a hand on the beach beneath him, one on his raised knee. He had already sullied himself earlier with the defeat of countless enemy Trainers and now… this?

Ugh she was covered in sea water, not to mention who knows what else.

Steel yourself Ross Oak. You'll never be Champion with that attitude.

And so the future battling Champion Ross Oak did so, wrinkling his nose in distaste as he lowered himself to provide air in the form of CPR.

It wasn't pleasant.

Several times the boy wanted nothing more than to pull away – despite her pleasant looks – but just as soon as he was ready to the young woman beneath him coughed up water.

Luckily he pulled back a millisecond before she did.

He shuddered to think of what would have happened if he _didn't_.

Disgusting.

She coughed and hacked away as she bolted upright, eyes shut angrily in a pained scowl. "F-Fuck…!" she managed out angrily as she widened her eyes to her surroundings. Ross quickly stood and stuck his arms in his pockets coolly as he always did. She turned her gaze around to catch sight of the frowning Golduck on the beach, staring down at her. She gave it her own scowl. "All right, _what's_ the deal he-" she began and turned her head to find the frowning Ross above her.

"Yes?" he simply asked briefly and business like. She blinked at him, stopping dead in her tracks.

"U-Um." she began this time uncertainly and even blinked again at him. "I-I'm Elaine." she introduced with a nervous smile and light giggle, almost as if to herself. "W-What's your name?" she asked and Ross blinked strangely. Women were strange creatures he remembered his grandfather telling him.

Perhaps he was right.

"Ross," he introduced quickly and to the point. She blushed beneath him and coughed again, this time seemingly to right herself before standing up and dusting herself off. The young woman wore a tight fitting pair of blue and yellow leggings, a red top, a pink back pack and similarly coloured trainers as well as a slim jacket. She also had her crystal coloured hair in a strange bent position that, although extraordinary, seemed to compliment her features.

She seemed around the same age as Ross anyway.

Maybe she was a Trainer too?

Though if she was drowning out here not a very good one.

"Thank you for um… for saving me," she chuckled almost to herself as she stood to attention, arms joined behind her as she watched on. The narrow eyed Ross lifted an eyebrow at her actions, unfamiliar as to her intentions.

What was she planning?

"Mm," he grunted back simply before shaking his head. Quickly recalling his Golduck almost monotonously he swiftly turned on his heel to go look for some fire wood. He figured there'd be no point in moving from where he was now; dangerous at night. And no doubt _she'd_ have no Pokémon to assist her in crossing the sea; his Golduck was currently tired and couldn't usually hold more than two people. She was slim but an extra pair of legs is heavy enough to take them down.

"W-Wait!" she called and Ross turned around in his emotionless frown. "What are you doing?" she called across the beach and Ross rolled his eyes.

"Getting some fire wood!" he called back. "We're gonna be here a while!" he added on and she frowned back but chose not to respond. "Make yourself comfortable! I'll be back!" he shot over. She nodded wordlessly and he frowned. Good.

He didn't want to introduce himself deeply any time soon.

She was pleasant to look at but probably a bore to talk to.

The boy nevertheless focused on the task at hand; fire wood. Where would fire wood be…?

He suddenly realised they were on Kanto's Seafoam Islands.

He gasped and narrowed his eyes around… the girl made him worry.

Not for her own well being of course. Just that he hated to clean up after her.

Finally however Ross had managed to locate some fire wood for the two and gripping it all within his arms he grudgingly travelled the sand back to his original location. The sun by now had finally died down to rest for another night and the newly introduced Elaine helped herself to resting on the beach and taking her trainers off. She lay with her legs spread across the beach floor and seemed to smile over at the night sky provided for her.

He rolled his eyes and continued forward, dumping the wood down on the beach floor ahead of him. It startled her and she gasped to her left in widened eyes but smiled as she found the ever frowning Ross.

"H-Hi Ross," she greeted.

"Uh." the Trainer grunted back simply before going on his belt for his Fire Type Pokémon to quickly help out in matters. Manually opening up the sphere a proud and scowling Arcanine was released. Its quick and sharp eyes snapped 'round to find the gasping Elaine. "No!" Ross quickly intervened with a narrow eyed swipe of his hand. It was effective enough and the Fire Type dog like Pokémon sniffed haughtily though turned its head away from the aqua haired girl.

"Jeez!" she gasped out and Ross frowned over at her. "What's _with_ that thing?" she asked warily and narrowed her eyes over at the Arcanine in question. Ross shrugged. He remembered catching it near Viridian ages ago. It seemed especially high strung, attacking anybody and everybody.

He was lucky to get out alive from battling it actually.

"Inferno." he nodded his head up to catch the Fire Type's attention. It turned to frown up at him and he nodded down at the wood. "Carefully." he warned quietly and in narrowed, suspicious eyes. It gave another haughty sniff but did as he requested anyway; blowing down a wisp of fire. The wood caught fire and sure enough grew into a plentiful bounty of warmth. "You better get your clothes off." the boy shot over at her in his emotionless tone. He didn't see the red tone her face took and turned his head over to her, inquisitive about her silence.

Then he realised his own words.

He rolled his eyes. "You don't want to end up with ammonia," the Trainer added on and Elaine visibly nodded her head. It took her a while but she managed to take off her top and tight fitting shorts, hanging them near the fire. She now wore a bra and panties, head faced away from the boy across from her. Ross rolled his eyes both at her _and_ at him.

Why did he feel so _flushed?_

Well whatever…

She didn't seem to ease herself into it and the tension in the air could have been cut with a _knife_ so Ross decided to take his own clothes off. Taking off – quietly of course – his midnight blue shirt with his amulet attached. He then attended to his boots and trousers, hanging them over the fire. Soon he was left topless and wore only his boxers. The boy grabbed his knees together to his chest and narrowed his eyes at the ocean ahead of him as he did so.

Ugh why was he here.

Because she needed help.

How do you _know_ that? She could have a full team of Water Type Pokémon for all you know.

She wouldn't have drowned if she did.

The bendy haired Trainer turned her head to stare at the narrow eyed Ross and she double took towards his own hanging clothes. "What did _you_ take your clothes off for?" she requested and raised an aqua blue eyebrow into the air as she did so.

"I fell in the water before I arrived here." he lied and scowled forth toward the ocean as he did so.

_Why _did he lie?

To make her _feel_ better?

… Weird.

It seemed more like Steven's thing to do than his.

As if to pass the time, Ross frowned as he turned and recalled back his sleeping Arcanine. He turned his head back to the ocean and gave a silent sigh. So awkward, he thought. Before he knew it however he found his new companion edging over towards him little by little. His face twitched and he found himself suddenly next to her. His eyes darted over to her suspiciously as he sat in silence.

What was she up to…?

"S-So um." the young girl began and Ross' eyes narrowed further. _If_ that were even possible. "What age are you?" she asked almost impertinently. He thought of not even gracing the question with an answer but the boy did as Steven once gave him as advice and 'take it easy'.

Or at least try to.

"Thirteen," he answered simply, not bothering to ask for hers. He wanted to know now but he didn't want to seem like he was interested.

"Uh cool." Elaine smiled and Ross frowned simply. "U-Um I'm thirteen too so," she chuckled nervously and Ross raised a brown eyebrow at that, obviously intrigued and surprised.

"Mm." he grunted back, seemingly uninterested. She winced and turned her head back to the beach floor in seeming thought. He searched his memory banks for anymore information Steven might have given him in their youth. Soon he came across a memory and frowned as he recalled it.

"_All right so we both know you're as hard a nut as a Metapod and that's great, it works; it grabs their attention!"_

"_Yeah so?" Ross shot back in a seemingly uninterested scowl._

_Steven grinned and raised a knowing, index finger into the air as he did so. "See it's great and all to get their attention but at the same time if ya keep up with it then they'll end up thinking the wrong thing and before ya know it, they'll think you're not into 'em!" he explained quickly and Ross blinked strangely. He rolled his eyes however as he quickly understood him and folded his arms defiantly._

_He figured Steven was still at that age where he got 'cooties' from girls._

"_Yeah so how do I use it?" Ross murmured, turning his light scowl away from his old friend's eyesight. He hated himself for asking him for help in this side of things._

"_Well here's what ya do!" the red capped boy grinned back at him in an almost signature expression. "You ask 'em questions about them like, 'how ya doin'? Where you come from?' stuff like that! And bam!" he finished with a grinning exclamation, punching his left open palm for effect. "You're in!"_

Ross almost snorted. As if Steven knew _anything_ about women. Then again…

He _was_ currently travelling with two of them; both of them pretty cute.

Ross rolled his eyes. All right fine; give it a shot.

Mew this was gonna be hell.

"Um…" he began uncertainly, scowling lightly as he turned his eyes over to the beach floor nearest his new companion. She turned her head in an inquisitive blink. "S-So… where did um… you come from?" he tried out, almost murmuring it. Luckily she heard him.

He did _not_ want to repeat it.

"Oh!" she gasped in widened eyes before smiling lightly. "Um from Johto." she admitted and Ross raised a brown eyebrow, turning his eyebrow. _That _was a new one. "New Bark," she gave claim to as she smiled nervously once again, looking down away from his eyesight. However she soon met it once again and smiled as she did so. A blush seemed to adorn her cheeks and she soon darted her head away from his.

Maybe she was interested?

Hm.

"I've never been." he murmured back and frowned down at the beach below him. "But I'm planning on it." he admitted and she turned with a hopeful glance in his direction. "After I become battling Champion of this region," the boy added on with a determined gaze toward the sea. Elaine darted her head 'round at him and frowned.

"Well believe it or not… we share the same dream," she grinned at him and Ross frowned over.

"We do?" he asked almost monotonously.

"Of course! It's been my dream since I was a little kid to win big at the ICL's Indigo Plateau," she claimed in her grin and Ross merely frowned at her.

She seemed to remind him of Steven somewhat.

"Mm." he grunted back and she soon frowned in wonder. "Guess we'll meet in the ring then," he added on with a narrow eyed frown and she nodded in a wondering blink.

"Yeah." she agreed quietly and hugged her own knees to her chest as she frowned down at the lapping water. "So… where did _you_ come from?" the young girl chanced to ask as she turned her eyes over to him. Ross lowered his left leg to the ground and rested his right wrist to hang atop his raised right knee, frowning as ever.

"Pallet in Kanto." he admitted. "It's not far from here actually," the boy added on and Elaine nodded in knowing.

"I heard that Kanto's Professor Samuel Oak lives there doesn't he?" the girl tried as she frowned at him and Ross nodded positively in his own frown.

"He does; I'm his grandson," the boy admitted in his positive nod. Elaine's eyes widened and Ross rolled his.

Here it comes, he thought.

"Wow! So you're-"

"Professor Oak's grandson." he sighed in response, interrupting as he did so. She blinked at him. "I know," the boy frowned over at her and she cringed, turning her head away from him.

"Sorry," she murmured under her breath and he gave a light cringe of his own; he didn't mean to make her feel bad or anything.

"It's fine." he added on in another sigh. "I just get sick of being compared to my grandfather the whole time. I'm my own Trainer, you know?" he asked in an irritated turn of his head and she nodded in a growing smile.

"Well… you've already convinced me. You have the talent," she admitted and Ross couldn't help himself from smiling.

_Genuinely_ smiling.

Good Mew. How long had that been?

He frowned and blinked as he turned his head, amazed from his simple _discovery_ of the smile.

… Oh well whatever.

"Guess we'd better get some shut eye huh?" Elaine chuckled as she turned her gaze up at the night sky above them and Ross nodded. It was surprising how little they seemed to talk and how long had passed.

Surprising how he wanted to listen to her _more_.

Strange.

He nodded in a sigh and raised himself to go for his own bag; a side pack with a strap. He brought out his sleeping bag and frowned as he unrolled it. He heard Elaine do the same it seemed; similar sounds near him. He soon climbed in and frowned up at the sky as he lay down in silence. The boy had a strange desire to talk more and more with the blue haired Trainer next to him.

He didn't dare chance it though.

"Night," he heard her call and the boy's green eyes turned with a frown.

"Uh." he grunted back before turning his eyes to the sky once more.

Strange; what _was_ this feeling?

He shook his head and turned his body around to sleep, eyes shut in slight annoyance.

Just get to sleep.

_**2**_

"… _eah; we need…"_

"_We got it!"_

"_All right the… let's…out of here!"_

Ross groaned quietly before his eyes began to flicker. What was…?

"_But we-"_

"_I said _NO!_"_

That did it; Ross growled quietly as he rubbed his eyes, raising up his head. A midnight blue sky greeted him and the boy turned his head around. The fire still burned away next to the two and Elaine was sleeping away peacefully. So then…

Where did the voices come from?

"Yeah!"

He snapped his head 'round in a veritable scowl to find the voices coming from the far side of the Seafoam Islands.

Idiots, he thought.

But… who were they?

Quietly, he reached out of his sleeping bag and took his warm clothes from the makeshift drying post. Quickly but discreetly he got back into them and narrowed his eyes as he did so. Checking to be sure his Pokémon's Poké Balls were still on his belt he nodded and turned his gaze on the sleeping Elaine, her back to him.

… Maybe he'd better leave her as is.

All right.

With that in mind, the young man sent out his newly evolved Venusaur to stand guard for the young, sleeping girl. He gave the Grass and Poison dual Type a nod and it scowled back in its own knowing expression. With that in mind and five other Pokémon on his team _(more than enough he thought)_ the Pokémon Trainer turned his body 'round to stealthily follow his visitors' voices.

Something told him to be careful so the Trainer scowled as he leant his back against the rocky wall of the Seafoam Islands' cave. He couldn't help but grin; _now_ he felt familiar and at home.

"So do you _have_ the Articuno?" a deep, masculine voice asked and Ross narrowed his eyes. He knew that name.

"Sorry sir… not yet,"

"You realise how negative it will seem for you and your team if you cannot accomplish this mission," the first man claimed patronisingly. The seeming Grunt that he was talking to; Ross imagined him wincing.

"Y-Yes sir I'm s-sorry but-"

"I'm afraid 'sorry' doesn't cut it this time friend,"

"N-No!"

"Apologies friend,"

"_Nooooooo!_"

Ross gasped silently in widened eyes as he listened. Soon enough he heard a light bashing sound, almost silent. Silence now however descended upon them and Ross listened intently.

"And you?" the first man seemingly turned his head after finishing with the second.

"Y-Yes sir! Right on it!" the second man stuttered. Soon enough Ross could hear ladders clinking away from his feet.

So these guys were here for Articuno of all Pokémon huh…

He opened up his Pokédex Version I that his grandfather had given him for more information, or whatever information he _had_ gathered on the said Pokémon.

_#144 Articuno_

_Classification: Freeze Pokémon_

_A legendary bird Pokémon that is said to appear to doomed people who are lost in icy mountains._

No picture.

He frowned down at it and silently cursed to himself as he snapped shut the device. He had to work with what he had.

On a positive note he had no idea that Articuno even_ existed_.

Anyway… back to snooping.

The Trainer narrowed his eyes and chanced a quick glance in the dark cave. He couldn't see anyone bar a dark outline of a person, standing up straight. They recalled back a sludgy Pokémon into its Poké Ball and moved towards the ladders quietly. He narrowed his eyes.

A Muk perhaps?

The boy watched the man climb down and soon followed on after him, eyes narrowed suspiciously. He wondered if this man was with Team Rocket's organisation but at the same time he could be with someone different entirely. Regardless Ross followed and was stealthily quiet about it, waiting for the man to disappear completely before following down the ladder.

He had to stop them if they were after Articuno; they were probably up to no good.

It was his duty as future battling Champion of Kanto and Johto.

Soon Ross found himself in a plethora of darkness, eyes narrowed angrily around him. He was near defenceless and had to be _extra _careful; he was no knee deep in enemy territory. The boy narrowed his eyes and snapped out a Poké Ball to ready to himself, eyes darting around his current position.

It was difficult moving from a light position to such a dark one.

Gradually however and primarily using his ears, he followed the Muk using man as best and as stealthily he could. However _just_ as his eyes began to adjust to the darkness of the cave the man stopped his march and Ross narrowed his eyes in wonder.

Why was he…?

Unless…!

"Why are you following me?"

Ross' breath caught in his throat. There was no playing around with this guy.

"What are you up to?" he breathed over in narrowed, interrogating eyes. The dark figure remained silent for a while longer before it chuckled and turned its head and with a grin on its face there he was.

The instigator of Articuno's attempted capture.

"Wouldn't you like to know." the man's voice chuckled and Ross narrowed his eyes. He couldn't discern completely who it was in the darkness… but he had a decent theory. The boy reached for Inferno's Poké Ball to light up the area but he saw one of the man's inky hands raise up to stop him. "Ah, ah, ah!" he berated suddenly and Ross narrowed his eyes. "Wouldn't want to spoil the _surprise_ now would we?" the man grinned in the darkness and Ross cursed silently as he only just realised.

His Muk – somehow – had managed to reach around to his undefended rear.

Had to be careful.

"Not so brazen anymore are we?" the man's voice chuckled and Ross narrowed his eyes once more. "Now answer me. What are you following me for?" he added on in a serious tone. Ross allowed himself to relax in some vain hope that the man in front of him would make some kind of mistake.

But it didn't seem likely.

"I heard you were after Articuno. I'm interested," he half lied and scowled as he did so. The dark outline of the man turned its head in a cocking wonder.

"Come now." his voice chuckled and Ross' face twitched in annoyance. "You can't think that I am so naïve," the man grinned in the darkness.

"Fine." he answered and the man listened intently. "I want Articuno for myself," he spat in mock anger. Luckily he gave the right impression and the man chuckled once more.

"There we go; not so hard to be honest is it?"

Ross' face twitched again.

"But even so you must be killed,"

"But I haven't seen your face!" Ross shot over in angered, narrowed eyes. The man chuckled well humouredly again.

"Can't leave loose ends; you know how it is," the man began and Ross gasped, going for the Poké Ball at his belt. The Muk behind him gave off a cry of war before bringing one of its sludgy arms down on him.

"Ampharos!" a voice suddenly exclaimed in the cave and everyone stopped suddenly. A yellow furred Pokémon gave its own wary cry as it crashed an electric fist into the gunk Poison mass that was Muk, sending it splattering across the floor in a pained groan. Ross turned his head in a surprised gasp to find a light bulb like Pokémon flashing light in the cave. He grunted and shielded his eyes whereas the once inky black man in front folded his arms and narrowed his.

Sure enough the interruption with the strange Electric Type was Elaine behind him.

Ross finally got a good look at the dark figure however and revelled in it.

Fuchsia City Gym Leader; Koga Venin.

"You." Ross murmured in narrowed, hateful eyes. "I never would have guessed," he murmured in a disgusted scowl, spitting upon the ground as if to show his distaste. Koga smirked back, his short purple hair dancing in the cave's light breeze.

"So… you caught me." the man smirked and Ross scowled back. Elaine and her Ampharos stalked next to the boy and waited. "Looks like you're _both_ expendable now that you _have_ seen my face," the illegitimate Gym Leader smirked over at them confidently and Ross couldn't help but smirk cheekily back.

"How's that? It's two against one," the boy pointed out and Koga could only grin. Ross raised an inquisitive brown eyebrow.

"Let's see how your numbers and might stand against my cunning," Koga grinned knowingly and Ross narrowed his eyes.

How dare Koga pretend that he's more intelligent than he is.

Ross' right hand instantly snapped out a Poké Ball and he broadened its size with a miffed scowl on his face. Koga ahead of him swiftly went for his own Poké Ball and smirked as the two mixed eyesight with one another. They dared each other to move it seemed and Ross scowled angrily.

He wanted so bad to move first but chances are he'd lose if he did.

Have to be realistic.

"Well? What's wrong?" Koga called over in a toothy smirk as he did so and Ross scowled back.

He was toying with him, trying to taunt him.

"Oh fine _I'll_ go! Ampharos!" Elaine ordered out with an impatient push of her finger. The Electric Type grinned and ran on in to battle.

"Elaine no!" Ross called in widened eyes but it was too late; Koga took his chance and threw in a shuriken like Poké Ball. Ross couldn't see it coming and it slashed his clothing as it passed him, eliciting a surprised gasp before it finally exploded to show off a trio of scowling heads that gave off a terrible smell.

Wha-

Without thinking, Ross dove into his Pokédex Version I.

_#110 __Weezing_

_Classification: Poison Gas Pokémon_

_Where two kinds of poison gases meet, two Koffing can fuse into a Weezing over many years._

"Elaine!" Ross exclaimed in a worried turn of his head. She blinked at the strange Pokémon but couldn't seem to act in time. The Weezing easily dispersed a Sludge Bomb attack and the Ampharos cried painfully as it was sent collapsing back.

It was _that_ strong!

Koga chuckled as Elaine gasped from her now fainted Pokémon. "Not feeling so smart anymore are we?" the Gym Leader smirked as he recalled back his Weezing. She scowled back angrily and wordlessly. Ross waved a hand across at her as if to stop her. She did and frowned in a concerned blink toward his direction. The Trainer narrowed his eyes and went for his own Pokémon.

The ground shook.

Ross gasped and couldn't steady himself in time and as Koga laughed he quickly chunked in what had transpired. Elaine gasped and reached for him but it was too late; the Muk behind him – for some reason now fully restored – grinned as it dug into the earth of the cave, its sludgy arms wrapped around him as it did so. Ross gasped and growled angrily as he tried in vain to push them off him, his access to his Poké Balls barred.

"Mew speed young man," Koga's last words to him were in a quiet grin before the dirty Poison Type disappeared inside the ground with the grunting Ross close inside.

"Ross!" Elaine yelled as she leapt forward to grab his arm. He reached out but the Muk sensed him and took the boy inside its literal mouth. Soon he found himself _inside_ the Poison Type and held in his breath as he did so.

* * *

Ross grunted but kept his breath held as his prison Pokémon landed in its own grunt, grinning as it did so. Koga smirked as he landed, his tell tale stance and all; his hands lashed together in some kind of seal. It seemed more ninja like than anything.

"Now we won't have any rude interruptions." the Fuchsia Gym Leader grinned as he spoke over ominously. Ross kept his breath held but scowled angrily Koga vainly, as if his looks could kill. Koga smirked and chuckled toothily as before. "What's the matter young man?" the Leader asked mockingly in a mock tone raise of his voice. Ross' eyes narrowed hatefully as he floated inside the transparent purple mass of muck. "Muck in your mouth?" he asked in a raising tone before throwing his head back wildly in laughter.

Now!

With the man's eyes elsewhere, Ross – as quickly as he could given his current situation – went for his Poké Balls.

Yes!

His mind moving a mile a minute the boy yanked and threw out his Pokémon's sphere. It opened up and did as he expected. A strong Psychic barrier attack later and the wide eyed Muk was suddenly imploded from the inside, its body splattering all over the place. Koga snapped his head down from his laughter to find the gasping Ross recovering on one knee as he scowled up at the man, running a hand across his muck covered mouth. His newly evolved Kadabra stood on his side, eyes narrowed and its spoon held threateningly.

"You should have stopped my Poké Balls' opening devices _first_ before getting complacent," the boy smirked, his glory well past due. Koga's once ever confident smirk soon crumbled into an angry scowl.

This time it was Ross' turn to show his confidence.

"Strong words." the man began before lowering his body and arms, eyes narrowed. Ross stood up with a narrow eyed frown of his own, eyes set on his enemy. "For a _boy!_" the ninja exclaimed out suddenly as he leapt into the air, disappearing completely from view. Ross gasped and widened his eyes before snapping 'round.

"Psylock!" he ordered with a narrow eyed frown. His Kadabra narrowed its eyes but nodded in accordance with its master's silent order. By unknown means the disappeared Koga and his unleashed Pokémon _(a Golbat)_ soon reappeared and yelled simultaneously. Pokémon and master they were sent flying back from the air, tumbling into the ground. However the angered Koga swiftly recovered with a backward bounce, scowling as he did so. His Golbat flipped backwards in a flying recovery also, scowling along with its master.

"How-"

"Future Sight." Ross shot over before he could finish his question, grinning as he did so. Koga narrowed his eyes once more. "There's no where you can hide from me _now;_ your cheap tricks won't work on _me._" the boy claimed confidently as he grinned over. Koga chose to grin at this however and even raised up an arm for his Golbat to perch on.

"You're certainly talented." the Gym Leader murmured over as he grinned and Ross narrowed his eyes interrogatively. What was he planning? "Aha!" the purple haired Leader grinned in knowing and Ross raised his brown eyebrows.

"What?"

"You're the one Giovanni's so interested in aren't you; the Pallet boy." Koga began in his seemingly knowing grin. Ross narrowed his eyes. "Where's your red cap boy? I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between you."

"_Red cap…?"_ Ross thought in narrowed, thoughtful eyes before gasping in widened ones. _"Steven?"_ he wondered silently but his gasp got through and Koga's grin faltered. As if sensing his thoughts he added on in kind.

"So… you're not." he murmured in thin slit eyes. "Then who _are_ you? You look like-" he began in an impatient glare before he gasped in his own widened eyes. He then grinned. "You're Oak's grandson aren't you; the prodigal grandson of his legacy," the Leader smirked over and Ross scowled back.

"Yeah so what." the Trainer shot back in his scowl. "If you're angling for another Team Rocket member you're sunk; I'm not weak enough to join those scum," the boy added on degradingly and Koga even smirked in agreement. Ross was surprised.

"Agreed one hundred percent; I could never stoop myself to _their_ paltry sum of payment," the Leader added in his own quirk. Ross' eyes narrowed in half surprise, half wonder.

"So who are _you_ with?" the Trainer asked over as he quickly began to analyse his escape options.

They didn't seem visible.

Koga grinned his confident grin. "I serve a master higher even than Giovanni Vittorio," the ninja claimed in his smirk. Ross scowled back.

"Yeah who's that?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Ross' scowl twitched lightly.

"Fine." the Trainer murmured. "Then I'll _beat_ it out o' you," the boy added on under his breath in his scowl before he went for another Poké Ball.

"Golbat!" Koga ordered out in his own scowl and the Poison and Flying dual Type leapt off his arm loyally. It flew straight for the sitting Kadabra but Ross was swift enough to call it back. He threw out another Poké Ball and out popped a yellow furred Electric Type.

An Electabuzz.

Koga's Golbat's presumed Flying Type attack – an obvious speedy Air Slash – was easily shrugged off by the narrow eyed Electric Type.

"Now counter attack!" Ross ordered mercilessly, arm pointed forward and eyes narrowed. The Electabuzz gave an angry growl before leaping forward in a charged Thunderpunch attack. It struck the wide eyed Golbat in a dazzling show of sparks and electricity. Sure enough the Supereffective damage sent it careering back but it floated painfully up in a stumble, still awake. Koga's newly regained scowl twitched.

"Impressive." the man muttered and Ross scowled back. "But let's see you try…" he began in a slowly gaining grin. He pulled back his weakened Golbat and fingered another Poké Ball shaped like a shuriken. "This!" he grinned almost maniacally and threw forth the sphere. Ross steadied himself and it opened with a resounding _BOM!_

"Get ready Creel." he murmured and his Electabuzz nodded in knowing. Pokémon and Trainer alike, their eyes darted around looking for the released threat.

But they couldn't see anything.

Ross' eyes widened however and he gasped, shooting his head to his left side. He was _sure_ he heard something; a deep sound, one he couldn't put his finger on. It sounded familiar somehow; like a really large mouse or something. He heard Koga chuckle in the darkness and was suddenly very aware of his recent disappearance.

"What's wrong boy? Where's that _confidence_ from earlier?" the man intoned in venom and Ross growled back angrily.

He'd take this guy _down_.

The deep sound got closer.

"Keep an eye around you." he whispered at his Electabuzz and it nodded dutifully.

Where _was_ it?

Suddenly as if to answer his dreads, a dark and purple coloured tail reached out from the darkness and coiled itself around the wide eyed Electabuzz, taking it by surprise.

"Creel!" Ross shouted out as he turned his head. Koga laughed.

"Wrap!" the man's voice echoed in the dark caves.

So _that_ was it!

A grinning and fanged Arbok mercilessly crushed the grunting Electabuzz in its tailed grip.

"Creel Discharge!" Ross ordered out with and the Electabuzz roared as it sent its head upwards, giving out electricity. The electricity lit up the area like a light bulb and even Ross had to cover his eyes from the sheer brightness of the attack. Koga's Arbok immediately screeched in the pain and as expected, let go of the Electric Type, nursing its pained wounds. Ross quickly noticed its speed lowered and came to the quick conclusion that it was paralysed.

Yes!

"Now finish it; Earthquake it!" Ross shouted out as he pointed mercilessly, scowling as he did so. His Electabuzz narrowed its eyes and growled in its throat as it leapt in the air to attack with. However before his Pokémon could execute its attack fully, Koga's telltale Poké Ball's red light flew in to take back his Arbok. Ross gasped but wasn't able to stop as the ninja grinned in the darkness, another Poké Ball thrown in the match. His Weezing took the place and Ross scowled as his Earthquake was negated.

"Poison Gas," Koga's voice chuckled. His Weezing breathed out the said gas and the grunting Ross covered his nose from the strong stench.

"Don't inhale!" Ross exclaimed out but it came out more of an unintelligible and muffled sound than anything. His Electabuzz recovered from the Earthquake attack and snapped its eyes around for the threat, not seeing the gas on its way.

There was nothing he could do!

The Electabuzz sniffed in the air before grunting in the pain, coughing and hacking. It was clearly poisoned now.

How could he…

"Back!" he called out and returned his Electabuzz back to its sphere. Scowling he leapt to his left and threw out another Poké Ball. "Psylock! Psychic!" he ordered and his Kadabra leapt back into action; twisting its spoon as it narrowed its eyes at its opponent. Koga's Weezing merely stayed there in its constant grin and Ross worried for a few seconds. Why was he _allowing_ this?

Unless…!

Sure enough the Weezing was glowing a dark purple.

No!

"Psylock sto-" he began but again he was too late; the Psychic attack was strong enough to take the wide eyed Weezing floating down to faint but the impact that he failed to see bit back on his Kadabra. The Psychic Type grunted and fell back, fainting instantly along with its opponent. Ross growled as he watched around for his enemy.

Destiny Bond.

Sure enough the red light reappeared and re took the Weezing, the cave was then perpetuated by his overconfident chuckling.

He hated him already.

"_No stop."_ Ross began thinking to himself as he let go of his scowl and frowned once more. _"This is what he wants you to do. Calm down and reassess the situation."_ the boy thought to himself as he looked slowly around for his enemy.

Koga must have sensed this for he spoke up. "Without your precious Psychic Type you stand no _chance_ against me now. Not in _this_ darkness." the man claimed and Ross narrowed his eyes calmly as he listened. "I have a proposition for you," his voice echoed in the darkness. The Trainer narrowed his eyes once more and he relaxed his stance though kept himself ready to attack or retreat given what called for it.

"I'm listening,"

"I work for an organisation much higher than that of Team _Rocket_." the ninja claimed in a spit, as if linking his own organisation with Team Rocket's was a disgrace in itself. "They may not see your potential but _I_ do." Koga claimed and Ross raised a brown eyebrow. "Want to become the ICL Battling Champion? Money? Glory?" his voice echoed and Ross' frown twitched lightly as he listened. Koga chuckled, as if seeing this. "I can make all that happen and more,"

Ross quickly thought it over and frowned as he traced his eyes downward. He snapped them up and responded in a light scowl. "Refused,"

"What?" Koga's disbelieving shout came from the darkness.

Ross fingered a Poké Ball and brought it out with his frown. He enlarged it and placed it in front of his eyes coolly as he continued. "If I'm going to aim for the ICL's Champion seat then I'll do it on my own. The last thing I want to do is become a child, _relying_ on an organisation," the boy grunted as he threw out the sphere. His loyal Golduck popped out and stood to attention as before, webbed arms up for battle. Silence however and Ross could even _hear_ the wind whistle inside the low caves of the Seafoam Islands.

Koga chuckled however and Ross could imagine another of his old grins on his face. "Such a strong little boy; doesn't want his mother mewling on after him." his voice chuckled and Ross narrowed his eyes. "That's almost _exactly_ the same thing that your grandfather told us; he always was a stubborn old fool. Oh well; like grandfather like grandson eh." the man chuckled again and Ross narrowed his eyes calmly.

He couldn't chance boiling his temperature again.

Speaking no more however the Gym Leader threw forth another shuriken Poké Ball. It opened up in front of his Golduck and Ross had to strain his eyes to see what it was.

Too late!

It seemed to be a Flying Type anyway for it flew directly straight at his Golduck.

"Albacore! Zen Headbutt!"

His Golduck charged some Psychic energy in its forehead before it leapt forth to attack with, meeting the presumed Flying Type in mid air.

"Double Team!" Koga's voice cut through the air and Ross gasped.

Simple strategy!

His Golduck passed through the flying Pokémon harmlessly and grunted as it fell forward, stumbling clumsily. Ross finally knew what it was; a Venomoth. He'd made the right move choice, just at the wrong time.

"Now Energy Ball!" Koga's voice exclaimed in the darkness. The Venomoth scowled as it sent forth the ball of Grass Type energy. So that was his game was it.

"Protect!" he yelled out and the duck Pokémon did so; a green field of energy that dissipated the Energy Ball harmlessly. Koga only chuckled.

"You _can't_ keep this up." the man chuckled and Ross narrowed his eyes, waiting for his enemy to make his move once more. "Just _join_ us and relieve yourself of dying here tonight!" the Leader claimed honestly but Ross wasn't fazed.

Not after the Pallet Tragedy.

"Zen Headbutt; let's go!" he yelled forth and the Golduck did as it was told, leaping forth. Ross heard Koga laugh madly in the darkness.

Yeah keep laughing you big ape.

As expected, Golduck passed through his Venomoth harmlessly and stumbled as before.

"Energy Ball; finish it," Koga's voice lazily responded and the Venomoth did so; sending forth a high powered Grass Type attack. Ross folded his arms and waited. Koga chuckled as he watched and the Trainer let him.

It passed through and did no damage at all or at least seemed not to.

"What?" Koga's voice exclaimed in the darkness once more.

A strong purple light suddenly enveloped the wide eyed Venomoth and it screeched before falling to the ground in its pain, eyes crossed out in its fainting.

The Psychic attack once more.

Ross couldn't help a low grin gaining on his face. He stood up straight now and placed his hands inside his pockets coolly as the Energy Ball attacked Golduck exploded in a puff of smoke.

"Your Venomoth isn't the _only_ one that can use Double Team." the boy claimed in an arrogant grin, his held lowered and his eyes shut coolly as he did so. His Golduck walked on over to stand next to its Trainer and Ross regained his frown as he turned his expression on over toward the darkness. "What now? You must be on your last legs," the Trainer asked simply as he frowned and he heard Koga shuffle about.

He was right.

He heard something _else_ slither around the ground and for a second he worried about the Arbok he fainted when he remembered that it _did_ faint.

So what was-?

Suddenly rocks spit up out of no where and Ross heard a cry he knew all too well.

Muk!

_Again?_

He quickly recalled back his Golduck and threw out his Arcanine to light up the area with a Flamethrower and it did so. Ross was just in time to catch the scowling Koga disappear into the ground with his digging Muk, eyes glaring intently. He ran on after him but as soon as he reached him the narrow eyed and folded armed Koga managed to cover his own tracks magnificently, his Golbat on his shoulder spitting up a constant Sludge Bomb. Ross gasped and stopped his run, daring not even to get close to it. Instead he opted to scowl back at the glaring Koga, his Arcanine lighting up the area as they did so.

Soon however and before he could even give pursuit, the hole was filled, presumably by one of Koga's Pokémon.

Ross gave an angry tut at his own weaknesses and mistakes.

"Damn." he muttered under his breath as he scowled on after the escaped ninja. _Twice_ he made the same mistake with his Muk and because of it he let one of the biggest criminals he knew escape.

Well not next time.

But now that he was left to his thoughts, what did Koga mean by all his words? On his grandfather… on the ICL… on the organisation he worked with…

So many questions.

He turned in a positive nod to his Arcanine and it halted its Flamethrower. He recalled it and paced down to where he first fell, eyes narrowed in thought. He'd have to find out.

Koga was dangerous _alone_ let alone the rest of his organisation.

He'd have to do some reconnaissance but first…

Time to get out of here.

* * *

A/N: Ross only chapter ftw.


	18. Oblivion

**Chapter 18: 'Oblivion'**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

"_**Gym Leader Medley" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green + Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver OST. **Scene **2**._

_With the imminent danger that Koga once possessed now gone, Ross Oak decides not to pursue the strange organisation that are sent into the Seafoam Islands on Koga's behalf and instead refocuses on his journey to become ICL Battling Champion. _

_Meanwhile Steven and company focus on their next ICL achievement; the Soul Badge of Fuchsia City. However it won't be like any other Gym Battle they have faced thus far; Steven will have to pull out an entirely new arsenal in his disposal…_

_**Scene 1**_

Steven grinned as he walked down the road past the Safari Zone, spinning the HM03 disc around his right finger as he did so.

"Steven!" Misty called annoyed and the boy turned his head in a surprised blink. She snatched the disc from his hands in a miffed expression.

"Hey!" Steven called indignantly.

"You can't treat such an important item like that so carelessly! You gotta have more brains!" the red head explained as she frowned disapprovingly at the boy. He rolled his eyes and pouted, folding his arms as he did so. Misty sighed but couldn't help lightly smiling as she turned her head. Bill chuckled as they walked, shaking his head wordlessly.

Seemed a little while before he'd change completely.

Oh well.

"Here." she smiled and carefully leant over with the disc. Steven's eyes lit up and he grinned as he yanked it back from her hands. "Carefully now!" she berated and he waved his arm arrogantly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" he grinned with his eyes shut before he took off his back pack to pull out the TM and HM case. He took a few seconds figuring out where to slot the HM03 but ultimately grinned as he found it and slotted it in quickly before putting the case back in his back pack. "Guess Blastoise can learn that later." he thought aloud to himself as he gripped the arm grips of his back pack tightly, grinning forward. "'Cause now…" the boy began as he grinned lowly, his red eyes set on the large building ahead of the small group.

Misty rolled her eyes. "Yeah you're gonna kick SO much butt; we know this by now," the red head moaned monotonously and Steven turned his head in a hurt expression.

"Sounded better when _I_ say it," he whined quietly in a murmur and Bill chuckled as he ruffled the boy's hair.

"You'll do just fine kid," the researcher claimed and Steven's grin came rushing back. Red at his side nodded wordlessly along with Bill, smiling brightly as she did so, even giving the boy a clap on his shoulder.

"Darn tootin'!" the boy grinned in a mock turn of his accent, as if to show off his _(over)_confidence. Misty ground her teeth in an angered scowl, not so much at Steven's old arrogance – even if he _was_ just playing around with it rather than before – but more at watching the similar red headed girl to her front constantly stand around Steven.

_Constantly_ clapping him on the shoulder or _constantly_ smiling at him.

And he lapped it all up like the idiot he was.

"Misty?" Bill murmured over in a chancing frown as he raised an eyebrow at the visibly scowling young girl. She blinked out of surprise and snapped her head 'round, as if she was suddenly caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Huh?"

"You all right?" he asked simply and she brightened up as best she could considering.

"Yeah of course!" she smiled insincerely but even Bill could see it, it seemed.

Oh well, he thought.

"So! What's your strategy _this_ time?" Bill asked as he smiled on, turning his expression on the ever grinning Trainer to his right.

"Well ya know; I'll kick his butt harder than metal and send him back to the dark ages. Ya know the usual," he grinned as he shrugged it off as if it were a common occurrence for the boy. Bill held himself back from laughing.

"St-St-" a voice began. The two turned their heads in a surprised blink to find the struggling Red behind them, trying with difficulty to speak once more it seemed. She lowered her head and sighed, eyes shut in some attempt to prepare herself in speaking once more. Steven raised a brown eyebrow as he listened; seemed like she was trying to address him. "O-Over-" she winced as she tried but sighed again as she shut her eyes once more, giving up it seemed.

"Confidence." Misty finished for the similarly red haired companion, smiling as she did so. "She's trying to say you'll lose with that attitude," the former Gym Leader claimed as she folded her arms confidently over at the blinking Steven.

He frowned and turned his eyes away from her in some form of indignant annoyance.

"I'm not arrogant anymore okay?" he murmured back in a light narrow of his eyes though he failed to meet their eyesight. Red smiled sadly at him whereas Misty grinned confidently over at him.

"We know. Just be sure to have a strategy in place; Koga won't go down easy," the red haired tomboy grinned as she pulled on her pack and walked on forward, brushing past the surprised Steven.

"Koga?" he parroted as he turned his head and jogged on to follow her, ever eager for knowledge it seemed. Misty grinned in satisfaction.

At least he wasn't following _her_.

"Yeah; Koga," she answered simply.

"So what do ya know on him?" the boy tried as he took the grips of his own back pack, frowning as he turned his head to face her. Bill and Red smiled as they followed the two.

"Well…" the red head began in an amiable enough smiles, turning her head as she did so. She tried to pretend it didn't mean much to her to have Steven so engrossed in what she was saying, even if it _were_ just about battling. He walked with her, transfixed on her stare. "He's a user of Poison Type Pokémon, something which I doubt you've faced much before,"

"Yeah I'm not… too sure on that one." he murmured in narrowed, red eyes however he gasped in sudden, seeming remembrance. "Wait my old Nidoking's a Poison Type!" he admitted in his surprising discovery.

"Right… and what Types have beaten it before?" she asked in a smile, turning her head as she did so. She watched the gears in his head creak to life as he scrunched his expression up in deep thought.

It was rare to see him thinking so hard.

"Uhhh…" he mumbled in his thoughts. "Ground I think," he murmured in his thoughts.

"Good! And what else?"

"Err…" the red capped Battler tried hard, eyes narrowed. He even folded his arms and turned his red eyes downward to the ground as if it may provide the answers he sought. "Fire?" he tried weakly in a wince, as if he wasn't even sure of his own answer. She rolled her aqua marine eyes but smiled regardless.

"Psychic!" she added for him and he nodded in a curious opening of his mouth.

"Psychic huh…" he murmured. "I've never fought those things before,"

"Yeah they're well versed in Special Attack but their Physical Defence is usually a major weak point in most of 'em." she claimed in her explanation. Steven seemed to make mental notes in his head and nodded as he listened.

Misty couldn't believe it.

She wished he listened like this in the past.

"So let's see…" Misty began in a growing smile as she raised her left fingers to rise in the air. "You have Water covered, Fire, Electric, Normal, Poison… and Ground; you have a Type against his at least." the young girl smiled as she turned her head and Steven blinked.

He didn't seem to understand.

"Your Nidoking! It's part Poison and part Ground Type," the former Leader smiled in explanation. Steven blinked once more before widening his eyes in recognition.

"Hey I had no idea!" the boy grinned widely and Misty almost wanted to face palm.

He had the Nidoking since it was a _Nidoran_ and he should have known this.

"Well… ya do now," Misty groaned as she frowned and turned her head away from his grinning gaze. Bill chuckled as he watched.

"Okay! With Ragnarock we'll kick their butts hard!" Steven grinned as he walked on forward, punching the air strongly and confidently as he did so. Misty watched him with a drooped eyed expression, as if she had seen and heard him say that a million times plus.

"Wait…" she began in a blinking frown as she turned her head. "'Ragnarock'?" she parroted in a wondering blink.

Steven grinned back at her. "Nidoking's new nickname for epic winnage!" he claimed out with in all his confidence. Misty rolled her aqua marine eyes in the air.

_There_ it was.

Eventually the group of four made their way to Fuchsia's main small square and sure enough the building labelled 'GYM' was there and standing.

Steven of course was itching to take the challenge.

"All right here goes!" the boy grinned as he ran on forward.

"For Mew's sake Steven just-" the red head began but groaned in annoyance as she ran to catch up with him. Red frowned as she watched and Bill only shook his head in a disappointed face palm.

He felt like their parent sometimes.

Steven grinned and even gave his red head companion a cheeky turn of his face however gasped in surprise as he bumped into something; a person. He grunted and fell on his rear, frowning as he blinked up at the intrusion. Misty winced as she watched and jogged on to catch up. A scowling old woman dressed in white and red robes stood above the blinking Steven, gripping onto a gemmed rod in her hands as she let her other hand raise and clench behind her back.

She looked scary.

"We're sorry; he didn't mean to run into you like that!" Misty called as she finally caught up, smiling as sincerely as she could. The old woman's angry stare even made _her_ uncomfortable but she seemed to be curious as well, directing her stare down at the head turning Steven.

Strange; he seemed curious as well.

As if they had _met_ somewhere before.

Misty didn't dare move and watched the two with growing tension.

"Red cap." the old woman spoke aloud for the first time, cutting into the tension like a hot knife through butter. Misty flinched as she did so but blinked and listened in. "Red clothes, black shirt, blue jeans…" she began again as she frowned down at him in examination. Steven narrowed his own red eyes back up at her. She offered a hand down to take his and he turned his head in further curiosity. "Red eyes; take my hand," she grinned in seeming knowledge. Steven narrowed his eyes suspiciously but did so anyway, raising himself in a grunt as he dusted himself off.

"Ah!" Bill called in surprise as he winced, finally caught up with a frowning Red at his side. "We're sorry; we didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." the old woman shot back in an impatient, angry tone. Bill shut his mouth instantly, a poker face on his expression. Misty cringed as she watched. "Red eyes; what's your name?" she questioned, obviously directing at the red capped Steven. He narrowed his said red coloured eyes and even almost glared at the old woman.

"Richter,"

"Stop that!" Misty shouted in annoyance as she slapped the boy's left arm. He rolled his crimson eyes. "His name is Steven," she introduced in a frown as she turned her head around.

"Hm." the old woman began in a narrow eyed frown. Steven shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, frowning away from her eyes as he did so. "The Truth…" she murmured under her breath as she watched the young boy with narrowed, thoughtful and wondering eyes. Steven's eyes snapped over to her as he barely caught her words.

The _Truth?_

"Tell me boy have you fought a man widely known in the press?" she asked simply eyes narrowed. Steven blinked out of his gaze and thought quickly to himself.

"Who do you-?"

"Giovanni Vittorio," she answered quickly and impatiently as she turned to grip her rod with both arms as if it were a sword. He frowned on up at her and widened his red eyes.

So _that's _who she meant.

"Yeah." he whispered back and lowered his head, as if ashamed to meet her gaze simply from the mention of the man's name. "Yeah," he managed out again in his narrow eyed frown.

"And you're setting your sights on Koga Venin now aren't you," the old woman added on as if it were more of a fact than a question. Steven rose up his head with renewed vigour, eyes narrowed. He nodded.

"I am," he claimed simply.

The old woman seemed to grow a small smile before she lost it almost instantly. "You cannot beat him as you currently are but you can under my tutelage. I am leaving Kanto in a few days and have precious little time; you have my trust if I have yours. What do you say?" she shot down quickly and Steven blinked under all the words she so fluidly spoke.

Misty folded her arms and frowned on up at the old woman in narrow eyed suspicion. "Isn't that a little suspicious? I mean-"

"Agreed!" Steven exclaimed suddenly as he frowned on up at the woman in a positive nod of his head. Misty and even Bill both turned their heads in surprise.

"Are you serious Steven?" Bill murmured as he leaned his head forward.

"Yeah! We don't even know who she is!" Misty hissed in annoyed narrowed eyes.

"I gotta get better." the boy shot back as he turned his head back to face his two companions. "And besides if she's right then chances are I stand _no_ chance on my own like before; you get what I'm sayin' Red right?" the red capped Trainer asked as he turned to his newest companion. She smiled and nodded along with him.

"Excellent." the old woman grinned as she lowered her head to face her new student's. "My name is Brinca but you shall call me Sensei for the time being. We don't have long so we should get to work as soon as possible," she claimed and Steven turned back with a confident fist to the air, clenching his fist as he did so.

"Got it Sensei!" he called back in all his exuberance.

"I don't believe this…" Misty murmured in a worried groan as she stuck her face inside her palm in obvious growing stress.

"Come follow me! All of you if you so distrust me!" the old woman grinned confidently as she ushered the group to follow with a pull of her fingers. Steven frowned and nodded wordlessly as he took off after her, crimson eyes narrowed. Misty grabbed his arm with narrowed eyes of her own.

"Wait Steven! _Think_ about this!" she shot at him and he growled as he turned his head annoyingly at her. He lightly shrugged her arm off and she widened her greenish eyes at him in surprise.

"I can't! I'm not losing like I did before!" he hissed back in narrowed eyes before he swiftly turned and ran on after the old woman. She stood in a frowning stare, left flabbergasted by his response.

"He wants to become strong." Bill spoke as he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked up beside the frowning Misty. She blinked and turned her gaze up at the experienced Administrator. "No matter the source he wants more strength. That's why he needs us. Don't you think?" the young man asked in a turning smile and Misty laughed nervously. "Come on." he gestured and walked on after the running Steven. Misty nodded and followed alongside Red.

She hoped she wouldn't regret this.

_**2**_

"We will fight with one Pokémon on your side and six on mine," Brinca began as she frowned on over at the boy. They stood on the soft sands of Route Nineteen, a beach esque area just off the coast of Fuchsia City itself. Misty, Bill and Red watched the two a few yards away atop the ledges that led down from Fuchsia, their packs set down.

"That's cheating!" Misty called out as she narrowed her eyes. Brinca's angry old eyes swept over to the red head Gym Leader and she almost shrank back but held fast.

"Oh die in a fire you little shit stirrer!" the old woman barked back at her angrily, head snapping 'round instantly. Misty shrank back this time and even cringed at her choice of words and veritable tongue lashing.

She had to admit she hadn't been addressed like that before.

"Yo!" Steven's call came. Brinca turned her head back around in a narrow eyed scowl and met with Steven's own similar expression. A Blastoise stood at the ready in a similar fighting pose, its legs set aside from its body as were its arms. Its green eyes were narrowed and its silver cannons out for battle. "We're ready! Let's go!" he called and the woman smirked over at him.

"Well at least you've got spunk," she admitted in her smirk before pulling back her rod to attack with. She carried at least six Poké Balls on the rod itself – surprisingly unnoticed 'till this point – and she grinned as she swiped the staff forward horizontally, thereby sending out the first Poké Ball in line. A narrow eyed leaf covered plant like Pokémon burst out forth and roared at them. Steven narrowed his red eyes but snapped out his Pokédex Version I to scan it.

_#003 Venusaur_

_Classification: Seed Pokémon_

_A bewitching aroma wafts from its flower. The fragrance becalms those engaged in a battle._

"Venusaur." he mumbled under his breath as he stared down at the dinosaur like Pokémon before snapping shut the device and raising his eyes up to his new enemy.

"Overpower us one at a time with only your Blastoise!" Brinca shot over in narrowed, fair eyes. Steven exchanged a nod with his Blastoise sure enough and Brinca began forward. "Let's begin with a Leech Seed Venusaur!" the old woman shot over at her Pokémon. It nodded and roared its name vigorously back as it stuck its four legs deep into the ground before shooting forward a tiny seed from its back plant.

"Double Team!" Steven ordered and sure enough the Pokémon began to make copies of itself. The Leech Seed was easily avoided and Brinca narrowed her eyes as she watched.

"Razor Leaf," she ordered. The dual Grass and Poison Type shot forth leaves made like knives.

"Ice Beam!" Steven exclaimed out with as he punched a fist forward in all his exuberance. His Blastoise easily evaded the oncoming Razor Leaves with its previous Double Team and so counter attacked with a chilling Ice Beam shot straight from its mouth. Brinca's eyes narrowed but she was too slow to react; the Supereffective Ice Type attack struck the pained and shut eyed Venusaur hard, sending its body crashing back.

Steven narrowed his eyes and made ready to celebrate until he found his enemy's body had soon solidified.

Frozen!

"All _right!_" the boy exclaimed in a grin however just as quickly lost it.

He still had five others to plough through; get your head together, he thought.

"Finish this one; Ice Beam!" he ordered and struck a finger forward in his order. The Blastoise narrowed its eyes and shot forth the next beam however this time Brinca was quick enough to grab her Poké Ball and recall back her Pokémon before sending out another with a flick of her staff. A Pokémon he'd never seen before with a flaming back shot out with narrowed red eyes. It took the Ice Beam easily and shrugged it off with a shake of its head before assuming a battle stance.

Steven gasped in widened eyes.

He quickly scrambled for his Pokédex Version I.

_#? ?_

_Classification: ?_

_?_

"Say _what?_" Steven exclaimed angrily as he looked over the article. Only a picture stared back at him of the Pokémon itself. Brinca smirked over at him.

"Hidden Power," she ordered in her narrowed eyes. The strange – and presumed Fire Type – Pokémon narrowed its eyes and nodded before materialising out numerous green balls of light energy around its neck. It shot them at the Blastoise and Steven narrowed his eyes as he awaited the effect.

It didn't_ seem_ as if they would-

His Blastoise was knocked back skidding in its pain, eyes shut. Some of the orbs even scraped his body and the boy gasped as his red and white jacket was singed partially from the orbs of light.

"What the-" Steven exclaimed in widened, surprised eyes.

"Hidden Power; a move that determines itself with Individual Values and numerous other things." Brinca began explaining as she smirked knowingly over at the boy. He gasped and raised his eyes upward. "This particular one is Grass Type," she explained thusly and Steven growled as he narrowed his red eyes.

So that was how; Supereffective damage huh.

"Enough!" Misty called in a narrow eyed frown. The two Battlers turned their heads to the red head in question. "You tried to hurt him; I saw it!"

"Pin your tongue girl!" Brinca shot back angrily as she narrowed her eyes almost interrogatively. "In case you haven't noticed, this boy has already been _targeted_ by forces that wish him killed as we speak." she explained briefly but loudly enough to be firm. Misty's eyes widened as she listened and Bill could only nod; she was right. "All I'm doing is _preparing_ him for this moment!" the old woman shouted over in angry finality. Misty winced and lowered her head, seemingly defeated for the first time.

Verbally anyway.

Bill patted her on the back and smiled as he did so before turning his attention on the battle.

"Now where were we?" the old woman frowned on over at the narrow eyed Steven. "Ah yes." she grinned. "Move in close and give him a Thunderpunch will you?" she ordered in her grin. Steven gasped as he realised his Pokémon's own weakness. It turned to him for an order and he was raised to life once more.

"Protect!" he exclaimed and raised his arm much like his Blastoise did to protect itself. The enemy Pokémon's fist crashed harmlessly against the protective and green coloured light energy shield that was raised above and forward.

"Try that again." the old woman sneered. "Swift!"

The Fire Type Pokémon narrowed its eyes and swiftly back flipped into the air before it shot its fist horizontally across the air. Star shaped energy waves came hurtling down at the two and Steven narrowed his eyes as he watched.

No!

Sure enough those star shaped rays came hurtling for him as well; the red capped boy narrowed his eyes once more as he side stepped in evasion as best he could. Meanwhile his Blastoise took the brunt of the hit and grunted in its pain as it did so.

"No!" he exclaimed and growled in annoyance. He leapt back forward to follow however a stray energy ray of the Swift attack soon stuck itself inside his chest and sent him gasping and flying back as it did so. He grunted in the pain as he skid across the beach floor; his Blastoise grunted as it leapt back to protect its Trainer from the remaining Swift stars, arms raised in a defence position.

"Typhlosion! Direct them to the sea!" Brinca exclaimed out in narrowed eyes. The Fire Type nodded and as it landed it turned another Swift towards the sea beside it, leaping into the air as it did so. The Fire Type landed once more and Steven and his Water Type Pokémon were allowed a minute or two to recover however they slowly widened their eyes as they turned to find their _next_ obstacle.

The sea next to them on their left began to raise itself into the air.

"You're…" he mumbled in disbelieving widened eyes.

"Kidding…!" Bill finished for him in a surprised whisper as he watched. By now the intelligent Brinca had managed to retreat into the air with a Flying Type Pokémon of some kind, her Typhlosion standing on another of some kind also next to her.

"Steven, get out of there! Those are Tentacool after you; they think _you've_ stirred their nests!" Misty yelled forward as she cupped her hands into her mouth for him to hear her.

Darn she was _right!_

The narrow eyed and angry Tentacool all rode the wave that was to be his presumed doom.

No other choice!

"Blastoise!" Steven yelled out as he got himself into a defensive 'x' posture. The Water Type narrowed its eyes and nodded positively. "Wait for it…" he mumbled in narrowed eyes. "Wait for it…" he tried once more as he waited before the Water and Poison dual Types all came within range. "_Rapid Spin!_" the red capped boy exclaimed as he leapt onto his Blastoise. The Water Type went ahead and turned its body around like a corkscrew at an incredible rate, eyes shut tightly. The oncoming Tentacool that attacked them sure enough were knocked away in angry growls.

But the wave…

The wave itself covered them.

"Steven!" Misty called in a narrow eyed watch of pure concern it would seem, arms clenched hard. Even _Bill_ couldn't be optimistic. Brinca frowned as she flew on down with her Flying Type Pokémon to safety the wave passed for now along with the disappeared Steven and his Blastoise.

"So he couldn't do even that." Brinca frowned in a disappointed murmur as she stared on out to the now quiet sea. The Tentacool seemed satisfied with their prizes. "He is not The Truth," she spoke aloud in a narrow eyed scowl as she turned and walked on off, eyes shut. Her Pokémon of course followed her and the remaining three humans could only watch in flabbergasted surprise.

"Hey!" Misty's voice exclaimed over once more. Before Bill could catch her however she leapt off the ledge and ran on after the old woman. She scowled on down back at the Gym Leader but it deterred her not. "What did you do? He better be okay!" the red head exclaimed angrily. The old woman chose not to respond – vocally anyway – and snorted down at her as she walked on forward up the beach hill. "Steven!" Misty called in a wince, her hands at her mouth's sides.

Bill cringed; even _he_ was worrie-

"Look!" a voice cut in the air and Bill jumped; it was the usually silent and docile Red at his side that exclaimed, pointing forward. The surprised group of four people turned their heads to find the wave of blue water ahead of them slowly raise into the air as it had done before.

Only this time a narrow eyed and scowling Steven was at the top of it.

He emerged from the water below him slowly and scowled as he rose up his head from his lower right, snapping it up and sending sprinkles of water around him. Soon enough his Blastoise below him slowly emerged on with him to be shown as his surfing raft. The red capped boy stood atop the water turtle in a battle position unlike any of his previous before.

He stood in a leant back sort of way, his left arm held forward and held up straight, his palm and index finger held upright and his thumb leaning to his side while his right hand was simply clenched and held close to his stomach behind him.

"I don't believe it." Brinca murmured in a slow widen of her eyes as she watched, clearly unable to believe her eyes.

"Aaa_ttaaaaaaaaaaack!_" Steven finally began out with; a staccato beginning soft before he quickly erupted into an angry shout, his raised palm pointed at his enemy. The boy – along with his surfing Blastoise and the wave of water beneath them – crashed the wave of water he rode on down onto the yelling and scowling Brinca.

It seemed he caught her off guard.

Misty, Bill and Red had of course retreated to higher ground in fear of being drowned.

By the time the water finished crashing against the ground and ledges however, Misty and the two had turned their heads to take in the damage.

Immense.

Brinca was still standing when the wave of water crashed against her and all of her Pokémon, her face scowling angrily and her arms held both at her sides strongly. Her Pokémon unfortunately – especially the strange Fire Type – had all fainted by now; three of them.

"Not _bad!_" the old woman exclaimed out with in an angry scowl. Steven and his Blastoise surfed past and remerged from the water wave behind Brinca, eyes narrowed as they spun slowly around to fix their eyes on their opponent. The veteran Battler turned her head around quickly with a livid scowl on her face and even swung her staff in a firing motion; an obvious attempt to attack with.

"Ice Beam!" Steven ordered out in a narrow eyed point of his arm. The Poké Ball exploded and Brinca's eyes widened in surprise.

"No!" she exclaimed in a surprised widen of her eyes but it was too late; her already weakened Venusaur that now exploded out received its last attack. The Ice Beam struck the tightly shut eyed Grass and Poison dual Type harshly, sending it shaking and grunting to the floor. It hit the ground in a resounding crash. Brinca growled in growing anger before snapping forth the Poké Ball to recall the fallen Venusaur. "You little…!" she managed out in an angry scowl before she grunted and sent her staff swiping horizontally again.

"Ice Beam!" the anxious boy ordered again with a narrow of his red eyes, his position still firm. The beam of ice energy flew forward at the unknown Pokémon that exploded out of its Poké Ball.

Unfortunately Steven saw only a glimpse of his opponent.

_Man_ that's fast!

He scrambled for his Pokédex Version I and scanned around the area as quickly as he could for some information. It took some panic rising time but he did it.

All right!

_#? ?_

_Classification: ?_

_?_

"_Damn_ it!" he exclaimed angrily but he gasped at the sight of the picture given; he at least had _that_. It was a lean, lithe looking Pokémon with a large grassy tail and two thin but bladed grassy arms.

Speedy huh…

"Leaf _Blade!_" Brinca's order shouted out and Steven's head snapped to attention with a gasp. He hadn't heard of that attack before but it sounded like a Grass Type.

"Protect!" he ordered and the presumed Grass Type Pokémon soon appeared. He gasped as he laid full eyes on it; true to its picture provided on his Pokédex it looked like a Grass type and its bladed grassy arms crashed harmlessly against his Blastoise's raised green light shield.

So he had a disadvantage right now.

Not like he didn't _before!_

His opponent looked as if it was having trouble releasing its arms and Steven grinned as he pointed forward. "Take it now with another Ice Beam!" he ordered and his Blastoise lowered its shield before it shot forth the beam of ice energy. Unfortunately the speedy Grass Type soon disappeared from view leaving its opponents to marvel at its own speed.

"Jeez!" Steven whispered in narrow eyed annoyance as he watched it zip around the beach.

"You've certainly surprised me." Brinca spoke and Steven's attention was forced back once more. She smirked at him as she held onto her staff's gemmed top with her right hand, the other placed behind her back. "Not one of my students has managed to get past that difficulty in fact it was _designed_ to be impossible." she stated and Steven's face even turned in a curious blink. "But this is where it ends," the old woman finished in a narrow eyed whisper, almost dangerously.

"No!" Steven exclaimed in surprise before he turned to his Pokémon. "You gotta get hit by this move!" he ordered and the Water Type turned to him incredulously. "Just do it; I have a plan!" he ordered and the Blastoise shrugged its shoulders, choosing to trust its Trainer's instincts.

"Leaf Blade!" Brinca ordered again. With Protect already used the turn beforehand Steven had no choice but to be attacked and so as the Grass Type enemy rushed for him, his Blastoise leapt in its way, taking the hit painfully. Steven winced; a Supereffective hit.

"_Now!_" he screamed out and Brinca's eyes widened as his foe's Pokémon was stuck; his Blastoise held onto it with great force. "_Ice Beeeam!_" the boy yelled out as he pointed his outstretched palm forward in his old battle stance. The enemy Pokémon widened its yellowish coloured eyes and even Brinca seemed worried.

The Ice Beam hit.

The Grass Type foe recoiled in the pain and shivered as it stood however it soon managed to recover and yank its bladed arms back from its enemy's weakened grip.

"No!" Steven exclaimed in widened red eyes; his foe ran off in its quick speed, easily running rings 'round the duo. "We can't keep _up!_" the boy lamented in all his annoyance, eyes narrowed as he watched quickly and vainly for the speedy Grass Type.

"Finish this!" the old woman shrieked in her angry sounding voice. "Giga Drain!" she ordered and Steven gasped.

_Giga_ Drain?

He wasn't even sure of the attack's name let alone its Type but it struck the surprised Blastoise regardless. An invisible attack – though he caught the sight of the narrow eyed Pokémon at his far right executing the attack – struck his Blastoise and sent it skidding and even flipping backwards, falling on its front.

"W-Wha…" its Trainer mumbled in a surprised, taken aback frown, eyes widened as he stared ahead of himself incredulously, unable to believe it. Brinca smirked over at him wordlessly. "H-How did you…" he mumbled and slowly turned to look at his fallen Blastoise. Pretty soon however he felt the Grass Type Pokémon ahead of him turning its attack on him and he yelled in the sudden pain, falling to his knees as he did so. Clutching his chest he gasped aloud in widened, red eyes.

It felt like it was attacking his _heart!_

He heard Brinca striding on slowly over to him. "You did surprisingly well." she commended. "But ultimately this test was designed to be impossible; you cannot learn what I have to teach The Truth," the old woman scowled on down at his yelling body.

"Yo!" Bill exclaimed as he scowled and strode on forward through the watery sand, eyes narrowed. "I don't think that-" he began but gasped and took a wary step back as the old woman snapped her head around to scowl at him angrily, raising her staff to his neck as if it were a knife or a sword.

Sure seemed like one.

"Enough is enough! It sounds like he's _dying!_" Misty shouted angrily next to the narrow eyed Bill, gripping her fists together tightly. An agreeing Red silently nodded her head along with her.

"It is _not_ enough!" Brinca snapped in a narrow eyed scowl. Misty merely scowled on back. "The forces that are after this young man will _gladly_ do all I'm doing and much, _much_ more; this is _exactly_ why he needs to learn!" the old woman shouted in defiant logic. "They won't even leave him _alive_." she finished in an ominous, narrow eyed whisper as she slowly lowered the cane. She nodded towards the Grass Type Pokémon ahead of her and it sure enough stopped the attack.

Steven finally stopped yelling and grunted in a pained expression as he crashed side on to the beach floor beneath him. Misty rushed to his side of course and cringed as she skidded down to touch his shaking body.

"Steven!" she called and the boy could only grunt in his shut eyed expression. She caught sight of the many wounds that were already inflicted on his body from the invisible Giga Drain attack that struck him previously. He seemed plenty banged up but there was nothing lasting on him.

Seemed worse than it was.

The former Leader scowled however and slowly rose up her head to glare and growl at the watching Brinca. The old woman stared on back strongly. "Don't look at me like that you naïve child." she hissed angrily. "He is _alive_ right now; that's much more than those _animals_ from Team _Rocket_ could say," she added on in her angry whisper, eyes narrowed. However she turned her eyes over to the raising Steven with surprised fervour.

"N-Not… enough." the boy gasped out as he attempted to raise himself shakily. Misty cringed and even Bill shook his head as he watched. The red capped Trainer gasped out his breaths in shaky hard faced frowns, slowly rising up his right arm in a painful stance as before. His Blastoise slowly followed him in its own pain, grunting as it did so. "H-Have… to l-learn," he gasped out in his narrow eyed glare. Brinca frowned at him before grinning suddenly.

"Your confidence isn't shaken at least." the veteran Battler grinned and Steven chuckled shakily as he stood.

"Steven… are you sure?" Bill asked as he leant in with a narrow eyed whisper. Steven only nodded his head as he stood and breathed heavily in his recovery, his eyes not moving from the watching Brinca.

The old woman snapped her staff hard against the ground to get the attention in full, eyes narrowed. "You've certainly impressed me enough to begin my true tutelage but this will all have to do for now. You have thus learned the Hydro Cannon for your Blastoise to be used. It a Special based Water Style attack with one hundred and fifty based power and ninety accuracy. With such great power however your Blastoise must rest on the next turn after using it; you will be left defenceless." she thus explained in her frown and Steven gasped as he listened, eyes widened. His Blastoise followed suite, listening intently to its new attack. "Learn to use this attack correctly in battle to accomplish your goals and above all to prepare yourself,"

"F-For what?" Steven managed out as he narrowed his eyes, slowly recovering. Brinca narrowed her own eyes right back at him.

"The Hydro Cannon is a prelude to what I have planned next. If you can master what I have left you then maybe… just _maybe_…" she began in an ominous end to her sentence, eyes narrowed as she spoke. Steven blinked his red eyes at her unknowingly but frowned as he decided to leave it; he supposed he'd find out if he was good enough. "And with this I leave you; I will come for you again to check on your progress in six years. By then you should have mastered not only the Hydro Cannon but battling as a whole with any Pokémon you may use." the old woman claimed. "Oh! Here," Brinca frowned as she widened her eyes in surprise and walked on forward, placing an object in the surprised boy's open palm.

"Huh?" he blinked stupidly but it was there below him in his palm shining as the rest of them did.

An ICL recognised official Badge.

"Koga's Soul Badge," she claimed.

"We can see that but why are _you_ giving it out?" Misty asked suspiciously in an annoyed narrow of her eyes. Brinca's angry scowl rounded on her but the red head was not intimidated this time.

"Mr. Venin is busy and so I took matters into my own hands; this boy needs an ICL recognised Badge to move on further in the destiny that has prepared itself for him. I am only assisting this flow," she finished in a suspicious whisper and narrow of her own eyes. Misty spoke not but merely glared back angrily.

Steven narrowed his own red eyes and closed his fingers around the Badge in his left palm before raising his head. "I'll take this and prove myself to you!" he claimed in a confident and almost defiant tone of his voice. Brinca turned her head in a simple frown as she listened. "I dunno what this 'Truth' thing is… but whether I am or not I'm gonna prove myself worthy of more teaching!" he exclaimed and the old woman even smiled lightly.

She nodded. "Good." she claimed in a nod of her head. "Now… if you'll excuse me I have two others to attend to in Kanto before my business in this country is done with. Please excuse me," Brinca smirked lightly before she turned and calling back the Pokémon she used to fight with she began to walk off slowly with the aid of her walking stick.

"Wait!" Steven called as he took a few steps forward, grunting at the pain in his body but fought through it. The old woman turned her head around in a curious frown to listen. "Why are you teaching me? What 'destiny' are you talking about?" he called and she frowned on back.

"You and Oblivion are two of a kind; locked to do what destiny has foretold for you. I am merely the guide to that which your path ends," the old woman called back and Steven's red eyes widened.

"Oblivion?" he murmured back in his surprised expression before he turned to exchange his astoundment with his blinking Blastoise.

"Never shirk your battling practice especially with your Blastoise and ready yourself for when next we meet! Until then!" Brinca shouted over at him before narrowing her eyes in a rock hard expression. With the aid of her walking stick she shuffled across the sandy beach hill below her and frowned as she did so; it was a complete contrast to her previous image as one of the strongest Battlers to have ever touched soil on the Earth.

Steven almost even chuckled.

A/N: Yup.


	19. Gone

**Chapter 19: Gone**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_**"Victory Fanfare" – Golden Sun 3 and the Dark Dawn OST. **__Scene __**1**__._

_** "Mist" – Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood OST. **Scene **1**._

_With Gym Leader Koga's Soul Badge now in his possession, Steven moves on to the next ICL Official for his next Badge in his League Challenge. After learning from the strange – and admittedly angry – old woman Brinca, Steven and his new nicknamed Blastoise 'Oblivion' vow to complete the training left to them by the cryptic talker Brinca._

_As he prepares himself for the next challenge that lies ahead of him however, the ever cautious Ross Oak continues on his own journey across Kanto in his own bid to become ICL Battling Champion however not all is going well for great country of Kanto as news of a disappearance soon stirs the cautious Ross into action._

_Meanwhile however, golden Olympic medal winner and official spokesman of the ICL recovers from another of his many and glorious exhibitions…_

_**Scene 1**_

He had pounded his legs as far as they possibly could and as always ended up first.

It was glorious.

Rico Ketak Adams – the Golden Olympic of Kanto and Johto – himself grinned as his many and adoring fans threw a bucketful of energy drink over his shoulders. It felt cool against his skin as sudden as it was and broke through the sun's merciless rays. He rose up his fist and grinned behind his sunglasses.

"Mr. Adams!" a reporter smiled as she breezed on through the manly spectacle that he was. He turned his head in a surprised blink before grinning on as before. "You've won the gold now for the past six years and so far have received no real challengers; what or who can you say has been your biggest one so far?" she asked and smiled as she raised up the microphone to his lean face. He grinned and took the microphone from her hands, turning his head to face the cameraman in another of his confident expressions.

"Well I'm afraid no _human_ challenger's managed to face up to my own statistics so I'm afraid they may have to bring in some _Pokémon_ just to make this a level playing field!" the man grinned confidently into the camera. The fans around his sides all screamed their approval and even the reporter couldn't help but roll her eyes. She smiled regardless however and soldiered on. She snatched back the microphone from his hands and raised it so he could speak through it. He looked at her as if she had just slapped him across the face.

"How do you feel on the news about the Professor's disappearance?" she asked simply. The fans all gaped as if surprised she even dared to ask that question. Again he stole the microphone from her and she rolled her eyes in annoyance, scowling as she did so.

"Well I'd be lying if I said it didn't affect my performance out here; that man's an inspiration to everyone! He was what made me pursue my career and to never give up on my hopes and dreams! I just _know_ that the authorities will catch the sickos that took him and make them feel the right hand of _justice!_ And even if they don't they better watch out 'cause I'm comin' for _you!_" the man grinned in his usual seeming confidence even punctuating the end of his sentence _(and threat)_ with a stab of his index finger at the camera's vision. His fans all lapped it up with mad, deafening cheers however the reporter rolled her eyes once again.

She wasn't to be taken in.

And so the ever annoyed young woman yanked the microphone from the glaring Rico's grip, turning to the cameraman with a bright smile. "And that's a wrap! You've been watching the ICL's Sport Watch! 'Till next time!" she smiled and the cameraman nodded in a frown.

"Cut!" he exclaimed and the reporter finally let her face droop into a rolling eyed frown.

Rico grinned as he allowed some of his many fans – usually the women – to 'admire' his biceps. "Sorry ladies but there's not enough of me to go around! Busy, busy!" he smiled down at his adoring fans. Fortunately they all gave up though not reluctantly. He walked on off with a towel adorned on his shoulder, giving them all a raise of his thumbs up. They all of course squealed with delight and their voices all echoed down as he walked under the huge stadium, grinning to himself as he walked down the dark corridor.

It was a good life.

He stopped halfway however and gasped in widened eyes to find a figure in the darkness waiting for him. "Who's there?" he called out in narrowed, suspicious eyes.

"Come now Rico." a deep, masculine voice spoke aloud, his voice echoed. Rico gasped again in widened eyes as he watched a grinning man in a black felt trilby hat walk out of the darkness, gripping a cane in his hands as he looked up to mix eyesight with him. "You can't have forgotten me already," the Don grinned as confidently as ever and Rico laughed a little nervously as he settled down.

Taken by surprise there. Of course the Don tended to do that anyway.

Had a weird habit for it.

"Don Giovanni." he greeted in his nervous laugh before he finally settled down, eyes narrowed. He walked on forward to join him, callously running the towel across the sweaty parts of his skin. "What's this about?" the man asked and Giovanni merely smirked as he turned around to walk alongside the medal winner.

"Amanda has managed to make great progress in tracking Gideon,"

"Gideon? Why?"

"He's gone rogue,"

"What?" Rico exclaimed in surprised widened eyes behind his sunglasses, turning his head in a veritable showing of astoundment.

"Yes it was surprising for Amanda as well but it should be taken care of quickly enough; she's on the job as we speak." Giovanni merely replied in a business like tone as he continued on. Rico shook his head and sighed as he followed. Seemed he was out of the loop. "I've made great progress in securing Kanto's Trio; all that's left now are those Badges for the power," the Don explained in his frown as he walked. The two turned a corner to their left and continued on down the lit up corridor.

"So what do you want me to do?" the expert Triathlon runner asked in a narrow eyed turn of his eyes.

"The organisation have finally managed to infiltrate the ICL's Silph Company. We plan to take it over and from there launch an attack on the ICL themselves,"

"The _ICL?_" the man hissed back as he stopped walking just to gasp in widened eyes at his leader's proposal. The Don turned his head in his business frown and merely hardened his eyes.

"Yes; the ICL itself." Giovanni began in a glaring frown. Rico felt uncomfortable already; the Boss had that knack it seemed. "Team Rocket was never meant for skulking around like the rats we were and seem to be today. I will break their chains of oppression on both the organisation _and_ this country and save us all." the Don claimed confidently and Rico couldn't believe his ears.

Was he _serious?_ The _ICL?_

He may as well just charge on in with _Electrode_ strapped to his belt!

"With your assistance of course this will be possible. I _can_ count on your support can I not Rico Adams?" Giovanni began again in a glaring raise of his black eyebrow.

"Oh! Y-Yes Don Giovanni of course!" the man hastily amended with the whisper of a wince on his face, even bowing respectfully. Giovanni looked down on him for a few moments as if contemplating his fate before smiling and gesturing his head upwards. Rico raised himself and followed the man down the hall.

He was a smaller man that Rico in terms of height.

But he exuded a power that Rico couldn't put his finger on and so he kept in line just as everyone else in Rocket did.

"I've called Amanda off in her search for now to assist us in the Silph Takeover; I will need you there as well,"

"Well that's all well and good sir but how do you propose we-"

"You and Amanda shall co star in a charity benefit for the unveiling of the Silph Company's newly completed and prototype Master Ball Poké Ball. Using this publicity we can gain a walk in through the front door and with our connection of informants already on the inside we have a good idea of the area to assault." Giovanni explained at length before finishing up as they stopped just outside Rico's door. "Any questions?" the man asked as he frowned on up at the Olympic champion.

"Uh… no sir," the man rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly.

"Good." Giovanni smiled an ominous smile. "We start tomorrow at noon; be ready by then and make your way to Saffron City for that time,"

"Yes Don Giovanni." Rico frowned as he nodded in positive accepting. Giovanni thus left him and turned on his heel to walk on out of the under stage, his well polished shoes echoing in the darkness.

Rico worried for his sister.

The man sighed shakily as he shut his eyes slowly and turned to head into his locker room.

_**2**_

"Police are reported to be _baffled_ by the main state of concerns as Professor Samuel Oak – Kanto and Johto's leading expert on Pokémon as a whole – has disappeared with no trace at all." the woman news anchor spoke as she frowned across the television shop.

Steven couldn't believe his ears.

"Missing?" he whispered in widened, red eyes. He moved closer to the television shop in Saffron City, arm on his back pack behind him.

"I don't believe it," Bill murmured as he joined the boy, eyes narrowed down at the television screen.

"But that's-" Misty began in a concerned turn of her head as she walked to join her companions.

"Sh!" Bill hushed her with a quick but firm turn of his head. She winced but did as asked.

"There are reported to be signs of a struggle in the Professor's laboratory so police are suspecting this to be a homicide case. More on this as it develops." the woman finished on screen as she ruffled some papers on the desk she sat at before moving on to other stories.

"Homicide?" Bill gasped out as he took a step back, eyes widened.

"What's a homicide?" Steven murmured out in an embarrassed wince.

"Murder," Misty frowned back and Steven's expression mimicked his computer literate companion.

"B-But who would-"

"I can think of a few people," Bill claimed in a whisper of narrowed, suspicious eyes.

"Giovanni?" Steven murmured back in a worried look. Bill exchanged his with a serious frown and nod.

"Maybe," he responded. Red at the young man's side let out a cringe as she listened.

Seemed it was all a little much for her.

"I guess the authorities will have to deal with this then huh," Misty spoke for the gang and turned her head as she did so. She watched the worried look on Steven and silently prayed he would not pursue the case.

If Giovanni was involved there was no doubt he would.

"Yeah." the boy gave in surprisingly quick. Misty blinked in her surprise but listened in further. "All right guys listen; I gotta go prepare for my next Gym Battle 'kay? Gotta learn what Brinca taught me; time's-a wastin'!" he grinned as confidently as he used to. He gave the blinking Misty a fist bump before turning and running off down one of Saffron's many roads.

"W-Wait!" she called but a smiling Bill stopped her with a shake of his head and a chuckle.

It all happened so fast!

"Let him go; he needs the time to himself." Bill acceded in his smile and Misty sighed; she supposed he was right. "Come on! We can all go check out what Saffron has to offer!" the Administrator grinned down at his two companions. Red smiled brightly and wordlessly as ever back at him and Misty gave him a trying smile of her own.

She had a bad feeling about all of this.

Steven narrowed his eyes as his trainers pounded through the city, looking for some kind of bus or train line to take him back to Pallet Town in Kanto. As unlucky as he was in finding one he realised his own lack of transportation; his Pokémon consisted of:

Blastoise, Nidoking, Snorlax, the new Magneton he caught and his special Eevee.

No flyers.

"Ugh!" he groaned as he looked around fervently for another mode of travel.

That was when he seen a frowning Ross standing ahead of him on the street he ran on. His red eyes widened as he caught sight of him and grinned as he ran on forward.

Ross had a Flying Type Pokémon! He was saved!

"Yo! Ross!" he called in his grin. The boy turned his brown haired head with an emotionless frown and blink as always and that was when Steven seen the young girl at his side, happily grinning as she latched her arm onto his.

Who was _that?_

… Oh well whatever.

She seemed to notice him coming after Ross did and scowled distastefully at him as she did so.

Pf whatever, he thought as he scowled lightly back at her before turning a smile on the frowning Ross.

"Ross! Need your help!" he smiled and the Trainer raised an eyebrow.

"What's up?"

"Didn't you hear?" he asked in a curious blink. Ross narrowed his green eyes back at the boy.

"What? Tell me," the boy demanded and Steven's smile quickly wiped from his face as he narrowed his own eyes back in a serious expression.

"Your grandfather's gone missing," he explained briefly and for the first time in a long time since meeting him, Ross' eyes widened.

"What?" he asked in a whisper.

"We're not sure who it is that's taken him but there's supposed to be signs of struggle in his lab. I'm goin' back and I need your help," the red capped boy added on as he frowned. Ross couldn't seem to answer in all his incredulous surprise.

"Ross?" his companion; the blue haired girl at his side whom previously latched herself to his arm. He frowned and took a step forward as if to rid himself of his companion's weight.

"You better not be lying," Ross shot back in threatening, narrowed green eyes. Steven shook his head sombrely.

"I almost wish I was," he admitted and the Trainer nodded in acceding defeat. Ross thus turned to his companion and frowned at her.

"I have to go Elaine; my grandfather may be missing." he explained as quickly as he could. Surprisingly – even as she winced – the young girl nodded in reluctant acceptance, allowing him to leave. "I'll come back for you don't worry. I just need to check this out," the boy frowned at her and she nodded.

"Be careful." she murmured and he merely frowned emotionlessly back as he nodded before turning to the watching Steven.

"Come on." he called quietly and the two walked on down the road, slowly erupting into a run. Elaine watched them in a wince, presumably worried for her new companion Ross.

Ross himself narrowed his eyes as he ran alongside his self proclaimed rival. "Any Flying Type Pokémon?" the boy asked as they ran 'round a corner to avoid being spied on.

"No! It's why I need your help!" he called above their pounding shoes.

"All right!" the boy shot back before they finally stopped near a back alley, growing silent. "Here will do." he murmured before sending out his own Flying Type Pokémon. A Pokémon like his previous Pidgeotto burst out but it seemed stronger somehow. Steven took out his Pokédex Version I as he always did.

_#018 Pidgeot_

_Classification: Bird Pokémon_

_It spreads its gorgeous wings widely to intimidate enemies. It races through the skies at Mach-2 speed_.

"Now we can fly there but…" Ross began in uncertainty and Steven blinked as he listened.

"But what?"

"I have a Pokémon that can Teleport us there to make this faste-"

"Good _lord!_" Steven exclaimed suddenly and even Ross was taken by surprise. "Come on break it out then! Time is _of_ the essence!" he scowled at the boy and Ross narrowed his eyes.

"Like I was _saying_." the disgruntled Battler shot back in a venomous, quiet scowl. Steven groaned but listened anyway. "I've never tested out a double Teleport; I've only Teleported myself and my Kadabra and that's it. If I do this who knows what'll happen," he claimed and Steven growled.

"We can't just wait here while your grandfather lies off probably _dying_ somewhere! We gotta-"

"I _know_ Steven!" Ross turned his head on his companion and rival with a roaring scowl. Steven shrank back in pure surprise. "I _know_ that he's probably out there dead! Just like my parents and sister! Don't make it any worse than it already is!" the boy yelled out angrily in an uncharacteristically emotion filled scowl and voice. Steven couldn't believe his ears but regardless winced and nodded shamefully. Ross growled and turned his head. "You're right anyway." he grumbled. "Come on," the boy mumbled out as he recalled back his Pidgeot and sent out his narrow eyed Kadabra.

"Sorry." Steven murmured out as he winced but walked on closer towards the boy regardless. Ross gave no reply and merely turned his attention down to his Psychic Type Pokémon.

"Psylock; I want you to Teleport us to that place I told you about. The small town to the south of Kanto; Pallet. Do you know it?" the young boy asked in a narrow of his eyes. The Psi Pokémon raised up its eyes as if pondering the request before nodding positively. "And do you think you can Teleport us _both_ there?" Ross asked in another narrow of his eyes. It looked thoughtful again and the breath was caught in Steven's throat as he listened.

It shook its head.

"Damn!" he mouthed and scowled away from it.

"Hm." the intelligent Trainer began as he raised a finger to his mouth. "We can still work this." Ross claimed and Steven raised his head to frown up at his oldest friend.

"Yeah how?"

The green eyed boy took out his Pokédex Version I and ushered his fingers forward. "Gimme your Pokédex," he requested simply. Steven blinked.

"But-"

"There's no time; move it!" Ross exclaimed suddenly and Steven winced.

Guess he had to trust in Ross.

"All right," he murmured and yanked out his Pokédex before handing it over. Ross took the two in his hands; his own in his right and his companion's in his left.

"I'm trading one of your Pokémon; hand me something." the grandson of the great Professor Oak frowned impatiently over at the boy. He blinked but decided this time not to hold up the impatient Battler and handed him his new Magneton's Poké Ball.

What was he _planning?_

The boy recalled back his Kadabra into its Poké Ball and seemed to use the two Pokédexes to trade over the energy transferring red and white spheres.

"Wow!" Steven gasped in sheer marvel as he watched his Magneton's Poké Ball pass through the air as energy into his rival's own Pokédex. Pretty soon the two energies reformed as a Poké Ball however and Ross frowned as he handed Steven his old Kadabra.

"Open it," he ordered simply and Steven blinked before shrugging and manually opened the device. White energy flew out to form the Pokémon that was previously Ross' old Kadabra.

"It… changed!" Steven exclaimed in surprised, widened eyes. Sure enough the new Pokémon – slightly different now – stood in a narrow eyed frown as it bent two spoons in its hands.

"I knew it." Ross murmured as he narrowed his eyes. "Okay recall it." the boy ordered in his frown and Steven nodded wordlessly.

So he wanted to evolve it huh.

"Okay let's see." Ross frowned as he reached forward to take the Poké Ball from his rival's hand. Steven handed it over and the Trainer narrowed his eyes as he continued in his trading. Sure enough Steven got back his Magneton and Ross got his newly evolved Alakazam. He sent it out and frowned down at it. "You think you can take us _now?_" he asked and the Alakazam grinned confidently up at him as it nodded. Ross smirked before turning to his companion in a frown. "Come on,"

"All _right!_" Steven grinned as he belted his Magneton and ran on towards the two.

"Teleport Psylock!" Ross exclaimed out in order. The Psychic Type, sure enough narrowed its eyes and the spoons in its hands began to bend. Steven blinked as he saw a purple coloured aura begin to encircle himself as well as the watching Ross.

Before he could even scream he felt his body break into moveable molecules.

_**3**_

Air invaded his lungs as he reappeared outside Pallet and with red eyes widened he fell to his knees and gasped badly for more oxygen.

"We're here," Ross' voice brought him out of his disorientation. Steven blinked and snapped his head up to find himself around his home town.

"P-Pallet," he mouthed in a wide eyed whisper.

"Yeah." Ross merely replied in his emotionless frown as he slowly studied the area. Steven couldn't believe it in spite of everything else that had happened as well as the planning. His _parents_ were here.

He couldn't _face_ them like this!

"Come on." Ross frowned down lightly before he recalled back his Alakazam and moved on forward wordlessly. Steven raised himself to his feet and scurried on after him. He winced as they came closer to his own house but breathed a sigh of relief as the two turned themselves to head straight into Professor Oak's main laboratory.

He frowned as he stepped in with the ever emotionless Ross, eyes widened lightly as he took it all in.

Seemed like an age past by now and it hadn't even been that long.

Amazing he thought.

"Damn!" Ross mouthed and Steven gasped as he was taken out of his own examination. The green eyed rival broke out into a sudden run and Steven turned his eyes forward to find the Professor's examination area riddled with papers on the floor and a general untidy outlook.

Looked as if someone had gone rummaging here.

… Or kidnapping…

"Damn!" Ross shouted angrily as he kicked at the examination table that once held the three Kanto starter Pokémon. The table rocked a little but no damage was done. Steven cringed as he did so. Ross' scowl grew worse however he stopped for a second and blinked as he seemed to catch something.

"What is it?" Steven asked as he walked on over to join him. Ross narrowed his green eyes in deep thought as he picked up a piece of cardboard paper crudely written and drawn on along with a high quality photo attached. The narrow eyed and tied up picture of his grandfather met his stare and Ross' grip on the paper slowly tightened, crumpling it up. Steven leaned in to see the crudely drawn words.

_SILPH COMPANY IN SAFFRON_

He couldn't help from gasping and Ross growled angrily as he threw the paper down. "How _dare_ they," he growled in narrowed, hateful eyes. Steven slowly narrowed his own.

"I'm going," he shot suddenly and his rival turned his spiky head to scowl at the boy angrily.

"You're _what?_"

"You heard me; I'm going." Steven shot back in his own narrow eyed expression. Ross wouldn't scare him this time. "I think I know the guy that's doing this; you have _no_ idea how strong he is,"

"All the more reason for _you_ to keep out of it,"

Steven's eyebrow rose and his face turned. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he questioned.

Ross' expression slowly turned back to its usual unemotional frown. "You're not level headed enough for this and generally not strong enough; you _can't_ pull this off," he explained thusly and even folded his arms as if to prove his statement further.

"Says _who?_" Steven growled in narrowed eyes.

"_I_ do and I'll thank you to use the correct term for me. I know much more about battling than you do kid," Ross shot back angrily but quietly his own eyes narrowed.

The tension grew at an alarming rate. Steven had felt anger toward Ross like never before and his rival had probably felt the same.

"Then I'll show you," the red capped Trainer replied simply though venomously and snapped out a Poké Ball. Ross narrowed his green eyes even further – if that were possible – and stood turning his head in a disappointed expression.

"Don't do this Steven." Ross warned as he shook his head. "I know you lost to Giovanni,"

Steven's anger only flared up to new heights and he gripped the sphere in his hand tightly as he lashed out. "That's _why_ I have to do this! I can't lose to him again! I'm not gonna let him walk all over me and my friends like he did before!" the boy roared back angrily. Ross merely stood in his quiet, light scowl, listening as he did so. Numerous moments passed between the two and Steven began to sweat as he awaited his reply.

Ross finally took out a Poké Ball from his belt.

Yes!

"If it'll make you see reason…" Ross began in narrowed green eyes. "Then I'll show you just how far beneath Giovanni and I you _really_ are," the Battler scowled and Steven even almost smirked; he responded not vocally and merely stood in the large enough area.

Steven mixed his own red with Ross' green, the sound of the wind from the laboratory's open window whooshing in…


	20. Pride

**Chapter 20: Pride**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_**"Sharp Dressed Man"; Adam Lyle's Theme – ZZ Top. **__Scene __**2**__._

_** "White Hot Battle at the Summit" – Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 OST. **Scene **3. **Chapter Boss Battle._

_Kidnapped._

_The briefest determination of Ross' poor grandfather in one word. Ross and his (self proclaimed) rival Steven discover this information through the daily news and ICL's television network. The very idea of this news shatters Ross' usually calm and cool headed soul and he almost decides to storm the headquarters of his grandfather's kidnappers. However his usually hot _headed_ rival Steven stops him in time. And now met at a disagreement as to whether or not Steven will accompany him in his rescue attempt, Ross Oak readies himself for his first ever battle with his self proclaimed rival…_

_Meanwhile the company Steven had left behind in Bill, Misty and Red are left to their own devices as they have near enough been abandoned by their companion of old. They scour the streets of Saffron for their friend, unaware of the growing dangers that pursue them and the Silph Company of Saffron._

_**Scene 1**_

"I can't believe he'd _do_ something like this!" Misty yelled out angrily as she stormed down Saffron's streets in some attempt to calm herself. Bill had been sent into the many buildings around to ask about the missing member of their group; the ever wandering Pokémon Trainer Steven. "I mean it's just _insane!_" Misty ranted and raved as she paced up and down the street. Red at her side winced in a light smile as she watched though as always said nothing.

"It'd _really_ mean a lot to us if you could-" Bill's voice trawled off as he spoke at the door of some house they were near. Asking of Steven's disappearance as well as his whereabouts it seemed.

Misty sighed and tried to calm herself with a frown, folding her arms. "I'm sorry um… Red." the red head smiled at the similar looking young woman. Red smiled back at her sincerely. "I know this must be stressful to you too." she said simply and the young woman sort of shrugged in a light wince. Misty raised an eyebrow and leant against the building behind her, gripping onto her pack as she did so with both arms. "He… meant a lot to you… didn't he?" the former Gym Leader asked in a light wince as she looked away from her eyes. Red stared back and shrugged before nodding.

Misty suddenly grew hopeful.

"So… you don't like him?" Misty asked in a blinking frown. Red stared back in a questionable frown of her own turning her head as she did so. Misty raised a red eyebrow. It was like talking to a _child_. "But I thought that he ki-"

"All right thanks a lot we really appreciate it!" Bill's voice cut into the air. The smiling Administrator waved his goodbyes to the owner of the household before turning and heading up to the diminished group of three. "Well still no luck," he sighed as he frowned down at them.

"Are there any other places to check?" Misty asked in a wince as she turned her head to face him, leaning off the walls behind her. Bill shook his head in a pained wince.

"I'm sorry Mist; we've cleaned out the entire City." he claimed and Misty sighed. "We should call in for the night; Saffron Hotel's close by. Come on," he smiled at the two before turning and walking off, gripping his back pack behind him. Red smiled and continued on whereas Misty gave a sigh of her own before following.

Where _was_ he? And why all of a sudden?

She had this strange notion that he had concocted an idea to rescue the missing Professor Samuel Oak but… he couldn't _still_ be that reckless…

Could he?

"_He wants to become strong. No matter the source he wants more strength. That's why he needs us. Don't you think?"_

Bill's words; true enough she thought.

She had one of those bad feelings again.

"Oh Steven you idiot." she murmured under her breath as she followed the temporary leader ahead of her.

_**2**_

"Bloody Silph." the overweight man muttered under his breath as he stalked on down the corridor of the named building itself, passing another signed document to his following secretary at his side. "Bloody waste of my _time_." he mumbled angrily, eyes narrowed as he stormed quietly down.

The ICL CEO was indeed in a pickle.

With the new charity launch of the newly finished Master Ball Poké Ball, he was busy with other things of state with Kanto and Johto.

He didn't have the _time_ to deal with this quite frankly.

"And this one," his secretary frowned as she handed him the next document to be signed off. He growled and yanked it out of her hands before taking the pen she had in her hands, power walking as they did so. He finished signing it as quickly as he could before he pushed it back into the quiet young woman's hands at his side.

"Fucking waste." the CEO muttered to himself angrily as he stalked down the corridor. He had heard that the Silph building was being watched by some type of group; the group that he and his company had founded since its inception.

Though only he and that group's leader knew _that_ little tid bit of information.

"Ah Mr. CEO!" a voice called and the man himself turned his head in a shifting scowl. A man with short and simple brown hair, a suit and white shirt underneath with no tie. He looked like a casual businessman of some kind but one that was at the game for a while.

Adam Lyle.

The ICL CEO stalked on towards him, pulling his secretary along with an air pull of his finger.

"Yes?" he asked in an angry scowl.

"I trust everything is going swimmingly?" the businessman asked in an all seeming knowing grin. He stood in a confident posture, back upright and his hands in his black slack trousers, neatly washed and pressed.

The very _picture_ of perfect.

It angered the CEO even to _look_ at him.

"Yes." the large man growled. "And on your end?" he asked for pure pleasantries.

He _hated_ the man.

"Excellent, excellent!" the man smirked confidently and the CEO's face turned into a lightly growling turn of his face. "Our operations are running smoothly as well! With any luck and with further support I'm sure we'll reach our goal in our charity increasing!" he claimed further as he smirked. The CEO scowled in his usual ugly fashion as always, his blonde sideburns positively ruffling in the anger.

"Mmm… yes." the Chief Executive Officer of the ICL muttered back in showing distaste. He cared not if he had hurt the arrogant man's feelings.

After all _his_ were more important.

"So I hear your used-to-be new Champion Sir Lancelot Droika is slipping!"

The large man's face twitched in a wide eyed scowl. Mr. Lyle seemed to notice and couldn't help but grin back.

"Whatever… gave you _that_ idea?" the short blonde haired man shot back in a narrow eyed growl and scowl, his voice quiet and angry as ever. His secretary at his side cringed as she watched.

Mr. Lyle smirked. "Well I'm sure we all saw his exhibition match just last year against the previous Champion… what was his name? Tony…? Theodore…?" the man began in a raising smirk and eyebrow, as if he _knew_ the very implication of such a failure on his companion's end could cause him such anger.

And he was right.

The ICL CEO gritted his teeth tightly between themselves and growled on back. "A simple mistake was all _that_ was, I can assure you," the man growled through his teeth. He breathed heavily as he narrowed his light green eyes at the watching Adam.

"Oh!" Mr. Lyle gasped aloud in a veritably surprised expression. "Of _course!_ I can _see_ that Mr. CEO!" the businessman gasped aloud in a wide eyed frown. The CEO's face twitched angrily. If he didn't _know_ any better… "I suppose it's just one of those problems then hm?" Mr. Lyle smirked again as his expression went back to the arrogant status quo. "All you need is some new blood Mr. CEO! And if it's any consolation I'm in the same pickle of a situation you are,"

The CEO had to raise an eyebrow at _that_. "You _are?_"

Mr. Lyle smirked as confidently as ever in spite of his words. "Of course! Not many people are so willing to continue my legacy in this… charity," the man claimed in his grin. The CEO stared at him for a couple of moments and was slowly reminded of someone else. However it soon left him and he shook his head in an angered scowl as before.

"I have work to do." he simply growled out as he pushed past the raising eyebrow expressed Mr. Lyle.

"We're terribly sorry," the secretary smiled warily up at the frowning Mr. Lyle as she passed him.

"_Rachel!_"

The overweight ICL's executive's shout made her cringe again and she gave Adam a final nod before scurrying off to follow her leader.

Adam Lyle smirked as he stuck his hands back into his pockets and watched as the ICL CEO himself storm through Silph Company's building…

_**3**_

Ross and Steven both stood in quiet, anxiety filled tension. No more words were needed as they exchanged stares with one another, hoping the other would back down.

But it didn't seem likely.

Soon Poké Balls began to slide down their hands; through Ross' loose purple coloured jumper and down under Steven's short sleeved jacket. They gripped them tightly in slap sounding catches and narrowed their eyes only in a more intense glare as if to warn each other of the intensity to come.

Neither backed down of course.

It happened so fast it was lucky they saw each other's reaction times.

Steven and Ross leapt in a circle around each other, eyes narrowed as they threw forward their Poké Balls.

_BOM_

A Pidgeot and a Magneton were suddenly thrust into the large laboratory field of makeshift battle.

"Thunderbolt!" Steven exclaimed out as he pointed forward and narrowed his red eyes at his target. The metallic trio of three Magnemite easily shot forth a stream of lightning to attack with. Ross' green eyes widened a fraction but he remained calm as ever and pulled back his Flying Type Pokémon. Steven's own eyes widened in a gasp as to his opponent's intentions before he sent forth another Poké Ball.

_BOM_

An Electabuzz popped out and raised its arms threateningly in its scowl.

"No!" Steven exclaimed in a worried gasp but it was too late. The Thunderbolt struck the shut eyed Electric Type and for a few seconds it looked to be doing damage however the intimidating looking creature merely shook it off easily and scowled on forth as before.

"Earthquake!" Ross shouted and his Electabuzz proceeded with its attack; it leapt into the air and came down hard. Steven merely smirked and watched. Ross' own smirk was lost to him however as his Magneton was struck by the attack hard sending it flying and tumbling to the ground. Needless to say the Pallet born Trainer gasped and turned his head as it did so.

"No Maelstrom!" he exclaimed before turning his head up in an angry scowl. Ross frowned back at him as his Electabuzz scowled back.

"Down a hole already." the spiky haired rival shot back as he frowned and stuck his hands into his pockets. Steven growled. "You don't have the knowledge to do this Steven. You'll leave rescuing my grandfather to me,"

"No," Steven shot back in an angered scowl.

"Excuse me?" the rival replied in a raise of his brown eyebrow. Steven recalled back his fainted Magneton and scowled on forward.

"He may be _your_ grandfather but if it wasn't for him I wouldn't _be_ here right now; I'd be in Viridian doing a _retail _job." the boy shot back venomously. Ross gained a slow scowl. "He's important to me too ya know! If you'd just get it in your _thick_ head then-"

"How can _you_ understand?" Ross suddenly exploded in widened, green eyes. Steven gasped and was taken aback. "How _can_ you understand? You're a _child!_ You have _no_ idea what it's like to lose everything I have! All you do is run around Kanto like you're in an _amusement park!_" the brown haired Battler screamed and Steven stood in widened red eyes as he listened. "You don't know _anything_ about any of this so just keep your nose out of it!"

Steven was speechless for a moment however his own anger got the best of him. "You won't let me in; it's no _wonder_ everyone's so distant to you!" the boy screamed back and it was Ross' turn to take a step back. "I'm gonna change that! I'm gonna make you see what I see!" the boy yelled before he grunted and threw forth another Poké Ball to replace his fallen Magneton.

_BOM_

A Snorlax popped out and took up most of the space ahead of its own Trainer, slumbering away.

"Tch!" Ross scowled in distaste as he looked up at the lumbering leviathan. He rose up the Poké Ball for his Electabuzz and recalled it before he spun around and threw out his replacement.

_BOM_

A Venusaur stared back at its opponent and narrowed its eyes threateningly as the Snorlax leapt to action.

"Caesar go!" its Trainer yelled and it stomped on over.

"You're too _predictable_ Steven! I know you were planning an Earthqua-" Ross began in impatient, angry and narrowed eyes however he gasped as the Snorlax came within close proximity. Steven on the other end of the field grinned.

"Fire _Punch!_"

"No!" Ross gasped out in widened eyes for the wrong reason. Sure enough the huge Normal Type smashed its Fire Style fist against the shut eyed and grunting Venusaur ahead of it.

It seemed to do a fair bit amount of damage and even burned the poor Grass and Poison dual Type.

"Yes!" Steven grinned in light victory, punching the air as he did so. Ross' eyes slowly narrowed in a light scowl as he stood, folding his arms.

"So… you have a little more _ingenuity_ huh…" the Oak grandson scowled lightly as he quickly assessed his next options. Steven on the other end grinned as he leaned forward in a battle stance, his left palm outstretched forward and opened while he set his feet apart. Ross seemed to find it familiar somehow. "What are you _doing?_ Stop that." Ross sneered as he rose up his head in disgust, as if the fighting stance his opponent had enacted was a very affront to the green eyed Trainer's image. Steven however responded not to the irate Battler and continued on.

"All right let's finish this! Fire _Punch!_" Steven exclaimed as he nodded forward. His Snorlax sure enough stirred into action and with a slam of its fists against the ground it managed to rise itself from the ground and begin another march. Ross' Venusaur had – by now – recovered itself with its attached Lum Berry and the Trainer himself narrowed his eyes as he pulled the Grass and Poison Type back. Steven only grinned as he watched. "You know you'll never win if all you do is pull back!" the boy shot over as he smirked. Ross only stared back in a slow gaining grin of his own and Steven had to raise an eyebrow.

What was he planning, the boy thought.

With another resounding light explosion of smoke, Ross' next Poké Ball entered the field and a Golduck appeared to take the Fire Punch's hit.

"Tch!" Steven tutted in narrow eyed disappointment at his own fail of prediction. "All right fine you wanna try that…" the boy began as he pulled back his Snorlax with its Poké Ball. Ross' smirk slowly grew as he watched his opponent pull back another ball before throwing it in with an effort filled grunt.

_BOM_

His old Nidoking screeched angrily as it stomped the ground in its wake, the smoke curling 'round its ankles.

"Excellent." Ross grinned aloud and Steven gasped in wide eyed surprise. "Albacore; Zen Headbutt," the Battler ordered simply.

"Gol-duck!" his self proclaimed Water Type exclaimed its name in exuberance before racing forward. Steven blinked in wonder as he tried to process his opponent's order of attack.

What was a _Zen_ _Headbutt?_

As soon as the duck Pokémon made contact however, Steven knew instantly it was a move to be feared; the said named 'Zen Headbutt' smacked his Nidoking clear and painfully in its tumbling.

"Wha- But-" Steven managed to stumble out in wide eyed surprise as he watched his Nidoking struggle to recover from the pounding attack. Ross lost his all knowing smirk and gained his usual emotionless frown as he stuck his hands in his pockets coolly.

"Zen Headbutt is a Psychic Type move." he began to explain in his frown and Steven blinked as he listened. "Your Nidoking is a Poison Type thus the Zen Headbutt is Supereffective," the boy explained in his emotionless frown. Steven blinked at all the information and seemed to fail in taking it in at all.

"But I don't _understand_; what's a Psychic Ty-"

"Tch." Ross tutted out in a disgusted sneer. Steven flinched back in surprise. "You don't even understand Type _differences_ and you think you're a match for _Giovanni?_" the boy asked in a narrow of his eyes. Steven narrowed his eyes back and growled lightly. Ross even chuckled in a light grin. "You don't have what it takes to last two _seconds_ in that building. Just give up; I'm _done_ humouring you-"

"_Shut up!_" Steven suddenly flared out with a scowl, hands gripped tight. Ross scowled and showed no sign of intimidation. "If we just… stopped this stupid _fighting_ and joined up together we'd stand a much better chance!" the red capped boy claimed as he settled himself down as quickly as he could. Ross narrowed his eyes as he listened. "Sure okay I might have a lot to learn but that doesn't mean you're any better ya know! Everyone makes mistakes and with my ingenuity and your knowledge we can-"

"_No_ Steven." Ross shot down the boy before he even finished. Steven gasped and widened his eyes. "I will _not_ sully myself in allying with _you_." the boy added on venomously. "I'm going to do this on my own like I should have done that night my parents and sister died." the Trainer explained in his narrow eyed scowl and Steven's eyes slowly widened once more as he listened. "Because of _you…!_" the narrow eyed and hateful boy growled through his teeth as he shook his trembling fists however as always he recovered his cool headed personality as before and sighed as he did so with shut eyes. He snapped them open in his previous scowl.

"Wait so… you're saying _I'm_ responsible for-" Steven began in a narrow eyed whisper as he edged a soft palm to his black shirt under his jacket, obviously referring to himself. Ross' eyes narrowed further if that were possible and he scowled even deeper.

"Shut up." the Battler growled and even Steven was taken aback. "Albacore finish his _pathetic_ Nidoking; Zen Headbutt," he ordered out venomously and with a hint of anger in his voice. His Golduck sprung to action and rushed at the recovered Nidoking, charging Psychic Type energy in its forehead as before.

"Stay and evade!" Steven ordered as he turned himself in his stance. His Nidoking followed his movements and swerved to the right to avoid its enemy's attack. "And Superpower!" the boy yelled out as he pointed forward. The narrow eyed Nidoking shot forth and in a superior blast of its own strength it forced the astounded Golduck back in a flying smash of its Fighting Type clothesline style attack. The shut eyed Water Type flew through the air and crashed through the wall behind it. Ross shut his own as he raised his arms to block against the fallen debris and the smoke gathered around them. However he gained his usual scowl on as he folded his arms once more.

"Tch!" Ross tutted out in his annoyed scowl as he watched, tapping his fingers against his biceps impatiently as he did so. "I don't have _time_ for this Steven! Just _give up!_" the boy yelled over in his growing impatience.

"Now Ragnarock!" Steven exclaimed out, clearly ignoring his rival. "_THUNDER!_" he screamed out. Ross' eyes widened as he caught the Poison and Ground Type screeching as it pounded the ground with its feet, sending up a torrent of electricity.

"No!" he exclaimed but leapt out of the way to avoid being zapped by the lightning. Sure enough its aim was true and as it plummeted down on the wide eyed Golduck, the poor Water Type was left to vainly screech in its absurd pain as it clawed at the air as if for some way out of its mess. Ross blocked his eyes from the painful looking spectacle.

"Give up Ross!" Steven exclaimed over and the green eyed boy half opened one of his eyes enough to see his rival staring right back at him. "On me giving up!" the boy screamed over as the electricity surged around the area, almost deafening Ross' ears completely. Pretty soon however the attack finished and the smoke was all that was left of Ragnarock's attack.

"Dammit." Ross muttered to himself as he saw his bruised and fainted Golduck lying on the ground face down. He recalled it back and snapped his scowl over to the narrow eyed Steven. "Don't think just because you've gotten this far means you're any closer to winning Steven! You _can't_ win and you never will!" the boy called over in his hateful seeming scowl. Steven stared back in a twitching turn of his hard set frown, still in his fighting pose. "I feel sorry for your Pokémon because you know…" the boy began as he fingered another Poké Ball. "All you're doing is leading them on," the Oak heir scowled before he grunted and threw in another sphere. It exploded forth and out popped the Alakazam that had Teleported them previously.

"You're wrong Ross." Steven began as he scowled on forward. Ross matched his eyes with his supposed rival's. "My Pokémon believe in me so I believe in them. Misty and Bill and _Red_ all believe in me." the boy began in his explanation. Ross narrowed his green eyes angrily and began to breathe heavily in his quiet anger. "You may be a better Battler than me Ross but you're missing something that Giovanni taught me!" he exclaimed over as he began once more. "Giovanni taught me that friends _do_ matter! He taught me that belief in your Pokémon's the only way to be as strong as he is!" Steven shouted over zealously. Ross raised an unknowing eyebrow and even opened his mouth in pure surprise.

"_What?_" he murmured over in disbelieving narrowed eyes.

"Mock me all you want…" the red capped Pallet boy murmured back as he narrowed his red eyes and slowly leaned back to his battle position. "'Cause you can't beat what you can't believe! Ragnarock!" the boy began as he affixed his previous stance.

"Enough!" Ross shouted angrily and pointed forward; the only time Steven had ever seen him take any of his battles seriously. "Psychic; end this _now_,"

"Sucker _Punch!_"

Ross' green eyes expanded wide again in his surprise and the Nidoking shot forward in blinding speed to stop the narrow eyed Alakazam. With a dark charging coloured fist, the Nidoking tore its fist hard into the grunting Psychic Type, sending it flying and tumbling back. Ross' scowl slowly grew as he watched but Steven began to feel the effects of fatigue and gasped as he along with his Nidoking knelt down with the fatigue of prolonged battle.

Steven narrowed his red eyes in constant worry at the fallen Alakazam; his Nidoking had previously used Superpower which he remembered Misty warning him about lowering its Attack and Defence stages by one each after a use and so his Sucker Punch was hampered not to mention Ragnarock's already high drop in its sustainability.

If he was lucky… then maybe…

The fallen Alakazam quickly back flipped in recovery.

"Damn!" Steven gasped out as he raised his head up to find it raising one of its spoons in the air to attack with.

"Do it Psylock!" Ross exclaimed out as he scowled on forth. Steven's Nidoking grunted and its eyes shut tightly in its wound pain as a purple coloured aura surrounded it.

The Psychic energy that Misty warned him about! _This_ was it!

"No!" Steven gasped out but it was miles too late; the recovered and landing Alakazam narrowed its eyes as it pulled the spoon in its right hand back. Ragnarock growled in its pain as it was pulled into the air.

"Do it!" Ross' shout ordered. Sure enough Psylock widened its purple glowing eyes and swiped its right hand horizontally. Instantly the grunting and shut eyed Nidoking was sent flying back, crashing into the wall behind its Trainer harshly.

"Ragnarock!" Steven shouted in calling but raised his hands up to protect himself from the smoke and rocks. Regardless however he grunted as he raised himself to his feet and limped on after the fallen Poison and Ground dual Type, landing next to it in a grunt.

"Look at you." Ross sneered sardonically over as he scowled, rising up his head in distaste once more. Steven caught his voice and turned his head around in a narrow eyed scowl of his own. "So much _concern_." the spiky brown haired Battler shot over. "Where was your concern for _me?_ Huh?" the boy began as he took a step forward and jabbed an index finger at his chest, face scowling darkly. Steven stared back in his own light scowl as he cradled his fainted Nidoking. "When my parents and sister died… when they left me alone…" he began and his voice began to grow shaky as he did so. "You don't _understand_ what it's like to be alone in the world!" the boy yelled suddenly as he swiped his hand across the air horizontally, taking another step forward as he did so. "You live in your own little world, not caring about what happens to anyone but _yourself!_ You don't _care!_ So don't give me this spiel about joining together to save my grandfather!" the Oak heir yelled. Steven scowled back but he turned to his fallen Nidoking and frowned.

"You did great; I'm sorry." he whispered and smiled lightly as he recalled it back into its Poké Ball manually before suddenly turning his eyes over to the angry Ross. "Look who's talking!" Steven shouted back in a growing scowl as he turned to raise himself in his newfound energy, even taking a few steps forward. "Listen to yourself whining and complaining! I understand that your family have died but you're too _stubborn_ to take help when you need it; you _can't_ do this on your own and if you do you'll _die!_" Steven finished his own shout in a wide eyed scowl. Ross was taken aback for a second and growled as he did so. "We're more alike than you think Ross; we can work together!" he whispered over as he frowned in a quiet plead. Ross only scowled over.

"Don't you _dare_ compare yourself to me." the proud green eyed Battler growled on over. Steven couldn't seem to believe his ears. "You're just a _child_ with an unattainable dream. You know _nothing_ of this world kid," the boy scowled on over.

"And you _do?_" Steven screamed over in his growing anger as well as impatience, gripping his fingers together in his fists hard. "_Jeez_ you act like you've been runnin' around Kanto for _years!_" the boy exclaimed over and this time Ross was taken by surprise. "We're just kids Ross; both of us! You know as much as I do about this world and its Pokémon! All we're doing right now is wasting _time_ so come on and just join me!" Steven yelled zealously as he gestured to himself angrily. Ross again however, as stubborn as always shook his head in a negative response.

"Professor Samuel Oak is my grandfather not yours. What's more is the last time I hung around with you or relied anyone other than myself I lost my family." the boy began in a surprisingly calm nature. Steven growled in angry, grit teeth. "I'm going to stop Giovanni on my own like I should have done that night years ago." Ross explained in his narrow eyed scowl before he threw out another Poké Ball from his belt.

A large, red furred and proud looking dog like Pokémon burst out of the sphere, scowling forward as it raised its head and howled like a wolfish dog. Steven's red eyes widened in a knowing gasp.

An _Arcanine?_

But… it couldn't be…

The same _one?_

So _close_ to Viridian too…

It gave him a narrow eyed glare and it was then that Steven knew it was the same Arcanine he first fought when his Blastoise was but a Squirtle.

"Tch." Steven muttered in narrowed eyes and under his breath as he fingered another Poké Ball. "Figures." he almost grinned. Brinca told him Destiny works in weird ways.

She was telling the truth it seemed.

With no further adieu the red capped Trainer threw out another Poké Ball of his own to replace his fallen Nidoking. His special Eevee popped out and stood to attention proudly. Ross stared ahead and blinked before sighing and sinking his face into his open palm.

"You send out… an _Eevee_ to deal with my _Arcanine?_ Are you joking me?" Ross asked over almost mechanically as he scowled angrily. It seemed he was insulted. Steven shot back with a confident grin. "Tch fine." he muttered and in narrowed eyes began his first order. "Inferno; Fire Fang!" he ordered and sure enough the speedy Arcanine shot forth, eyes glaring and narrowed.

Steven raised up a shining object into the air as he narrowed his own eyes in concentration. Ross gasped as he watched him in presuming wonder. "Counter with Hydro Pump!" he exclaimed out.

"That's impossi-" Ross began angrily but gasped in widened eyes once more as he watched the light from the object pass over onto the Eevee below him. Soon enough a brighter light enveloped the area and a different Pokémon sat on the ground in place of the previous Eevee. Sure enough to its Trainer's word it easily shrugged off the Arcanine's Fire Fang before raising itself up and firing off a Water Type Hydro Pump attack through its mouth in a powerful looking beam of water. The Arcanine couldn't react in time perhaps due to the close proximity of the two and so was struck full force with the Supereffective attack, sending it howling and gasping as it tumbled across the floor painfully. "Inferno!" Ross called in a wide eyed worried expression however he soon turned his look into a scowl, 'rounding it on the similar expressed Steven.

"We're better than you think Ross! You're wrong about us!" Steven called over simply in his narrow eyed scowl.

"Rgh!" Ross scowled out with before he looked down and sure enough found his Arcanine grunting as it fell forward face down, fainted. A Critical Hit maybe? He recalled back the Fire Type and scowled as he did so. "You got lucky but that strategy won't work again." the Oak heir scowled forth before he grunted as he threw forth another Poké Ball to replace his fallen Arcanine. "Brosimum! Frenzy _Plant!_" the green eyed Trainer roared angrily as he pointed forward.

Frenzy _Plant?_

Regardless as the move sounded like a Grass Type, Steven quickly bagged his special Water Stone before yanking out his special Fire Stone and raising it up. As before the light enveloped the area like a bright blanket. Ross rose up his arms to block the light from his dark green eyes and scowled impatiently as he did so.

"Urgh!" he growled out with. Finally the light faded and as the 'Frenzy Plant' that Ross had ordered previously, come up from the ground and struck the light enveloped Pokémon on Steven's side of the field. The light faded and a Flareon stood in a proud looking frown, as if undeterred from its enemy's strong attack. "_What?_" Ross screamed in wide eyed surprise, gripping his fists angrily. His Venusaur in front of him had fallen and gasped to itself from the fatigue of the use of its own deadly attack.

"Ready?" Steven called to his new Flareon and it nodded before going into a battle stance. Ross it seemed took no more chances and growled as he recalled back his Venusaur to send out another Pokémon. "Shadow Ball!" the boy yelled out and before Ross could stop it he was too late.

"N-No!"

His Alakazam popped out, still weak from battle. It took the hurling Shadow Ball's hit hard and went rolling across the ground as it did so. Fainted.

Ross' scowl slowly grew more severe as he stood, his body trembling in his anger.

"One more down Ross," Steven called over.

"I _know_ what the score is you pathetic little _worm!_" Ross lashed out suddenly as he yelled back. Steven looked no less intimidated and merely stared on back. He growled and recalled himself – as well as his fallen Alakazam – back slowly and scowled as he did so, still trembling in his anger. However he gave vent to a large sigh and shut his eyes as he did so. _"Calm down; he wants you to think like this."_ the green eyed boy thought to himself as calmly as he could, eyes shut lightly as he did so before he opened them back up again to investigate his chances. _"So he has an Eevee that can evolve between its three different forms. I have Creel, Hurricane and Brosimum left whereas he still has his Snorlax, his strange Eevee and one more, maybe two."_ the boy thought to himself deeply as he examined Steven's face.

It looked different from before, more confident more sure of himself. As if he had just gone through either some kind of training or…

… Giovanni.

He even heard that the mafia Don himself was still looking for the red capped boy for some reason.

But why?

Well whatever, he thought.

"All right…" the boy began in a narrow eyed murmur as he enlarged his next Poké Ball. "Here goes…!" he whispered in a narrow eyed frown before he sent out his next Pokémon. Steven raised a brown eyebrow as he saw an Electabuzz pop back out and he grinned in confidence as before.

"Go underground!" he ordered out and the Flareon in front of him nodded before quickly scampering underground presumably for a Ground Type attack. Ross narrowed his eyes in his frown and folded his arms.

"Mistake." he shot over in his frown and Steven only gasped in widened eyes.

What did he mea-

"Earthquake Creel," the Pallet Trainer ordered and his Electabuzz yelled out its name as it leapt into the air before coming down in a resounding crash.

"Wait _no!_" Steven exclaimed in widened eyes once more but it was too late; the underground Flareon gave no signs of its safety. After the attack had finished, Steven wasted no more time in pursuing and leapt down the hole his Flareon had created in some effort to find it. "Scorch!" he yelled out its nickname in a frown as he ran down the small tunnel. Sure enough ahead of him it lay bruised and beaten, fainted as his other Pokémon. "Sorry." he whispered before recalling it back to its Poké Ball. He rose up his head to scowl at the hidden away Ross before turning his body and rushing back up the tunnel.

"What you have in ingenuity…" Ross began as he frowned on forth, arms folded strongly. Steven raised himself to the surface with a grunt and snapped his sweaty head over in a narrow eyed scowl. "You lack up for in knowledge; battles can't be won on ingenuity alone,"

"My Pokémon _believe_ in me so I have to believe in-"

"Tch!" Ross interrupted in a less than happy tone. His disgusted sneer returned and Steven gasped, taken aback in surprise. "_Again?_ All that will do will weaken whatever tiny resolve you used to possess." Ross explained in his scowl. Steven stared back in a narrow eyed scowl of his own. "Send out your next Pokémon so we can finish this already," the boy growled out with impatiently.

"Hey that's fine with me; you wanna lose all the faster?" the boy shot back as he raised himself to his feet and snapped out another sphere. He threw it out with a grunt and his Snorlax reappeared as tired and sleepy as ever. "Let's see you _try_ and beat me!" he shot out as confidently as he could, gripping his fingers tightly in his fists.

"This'll be over in the first turn; Creel use Brick Break," the boy ordered in his frown as he folded his arms once more. His Electric Type Pokémon growled out as it bounded forth with reddish coloured charged fists. It struck the sleeping Snorlax hard and the huge Normal Type was forced awake.

"Now Caesar; _Body Slam!_" Steven yelled out as his heart pounded hard. The lumbering leviathan smashed its fists against the ground hard to send itself up into the air before it came plummeting down on the wide eyed Electabuzz.

"_No_." Ross spoke aloud in a narrow eyed scowling shake of his head but despite his own wishes, the smiling Snorlax easily covered the Electabuzz's whole body in its attack, crashing the ground roughly in its attack. The two Trainers even had to raise their arms to block the dust that Caesar caused from entering their eyes. When the dust disappeared and Steven's Snorlax slowly rolled off of its enemy _(victim)_ to presumably sleep some more, the once formidable Electric Type lied down face up pressed to the ground in a shut eyed scowl.

Another one gone.

Ross grinded his teeth together in anger as he watched Steven grin back over. His Snorlax should have _fainted_ in the one hit.

This was _ludicrous!_

Recalling back his fallen Electabuzz wordlessly, Ross scowled as he did so, turning the Electric Type into a compatible red energy. He grunted as he threw forth his next Pokémon; a Pidgeot and his nicknamed 'Hurricane'. "Don't waste any time; Brave _Bird!_" Ross exclaimed as he pointed forth; the Flying Type shot forth like a bullet shot from a firearm and easily crashed past the wide eyed Snorlax, fainting it immediately.

"Urgh!" Steven grunted as a light from the Pidgeot's quick attack emanated. "Caesar…" he murmured as he recovered and recalled it back. The Pidgeot slowly flew back to its master and frowned along with him.

"You can't win Steven!" Ross called back over and for once, Steven took the warning; he was almost out of Pokémon. Ross must have started with an advantage of six over his initial five.

Only one left, he thought as he gripped his hand around the last Poké Ball in his hand.

Steven rose back up his red capped head and went back into another battle stance; the one Brinca seemed to teach him and Ross narrowed his eyes over in seeming knowing as before. "Oblivion!" Steven yelled forth as he catapulted the next and last Pokémon in his arsenal. Ross raised a brown eyebrow as he watched before the smoke dissipated to reveal a similar stance Blastoise. Ross seemingly began to add it all up in his mind as his regular emotionless frown returned to him.

"So you evolved it huh… I never thought you could do it." the green eyed Trainer murmured in his seemingly surprised frown. Steven stared back in his lean stance, eyes narrowed. "But this is where it ends! I'll finish this quick so I can save my grandfather. Alone!" he finished loudly enough for his opponent to hear.

"Bring it!"

"Fine." Ross murmured in his narrow eyed light scowl. "Hurricane use Tailwind!" he ordered out and the Pidgeot sure enough blew a wind behind itself, seemingly to increase the team's speed.

"Now while it's busy use _Ice Beam!_" Steven yelled forth. Ross' green eyes widened as he realised his mistake but it was too late; the narrow eyed Blastoise shot forth a beam of ice as ordered and it stuck the wide eyed Pidgeot hard. It crashed to the ground in an icy like bird missile, fainted and Ross couldn't believe his eyes.

He had forced him to use all _six_ of his Pokémon.

Ross' scowl returned and he rose up his eyes to stare back. "Don't believe this." he muttered before recalling back his fallen Flying Type. He rolled the ball down into his belt and sighed as he brought out his old and weakened Venusaur. His eyes snapped back up and he scowled before grunting as he threw forth the sphere.

Sure enough Ross' Venusaur returned for the second time and scowled on forth at its enemy before it widened its eyes slowly. It seemed to recognise the similar expressed Blastoise ahead of it. "Forget it Brosimum; he is our enemy and so is his Blastoise," its Trainer scowled on forth. The weakened but strong willed Grass Type nodded in knowing before it readied itself.

"Come on Ross! Come at us!" Steven called over angrily and the green eyed boy simply nodded.

"Fine." he murmured. "This time Brosimum… finish off his Blastoise _and_ his dreams with your _Frenzy PLANT!_" Ross screamed out as he pointed forward as before in his desire to win. With Hurricane's previous use of Tailwind, the speed was increased and so Venusaur was allowed to act faster; it smashed the ground and shot forth a plethora of vines and plants to attack with.

"Oblivion! Now's the time!" Steven yelled out in his own determined scowl. "_Hydro CAAANNOOON!_" the red capped boy screamed. The Blastoise nodded and shot forth a previously charged trio of water beams from its two shoulder cannons and its mouth. The two attacks met with each other in mid air and struggled with each other toughly and the laboratory the Trainers used to battle with began to shake from the strength of their attacks, as if caused by an _earthquake _itself. Ross screamed in a mix of presuming anger and his deep desire to win whereas Steven narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth tightly as ever; sweat falling from his brow as the wind whipped at his hair.

"_Come on, come on, come on…"_ he thought to himself desperately as he watched the struggle from his own side. However as ahead of him, the struggle began to whittle down and for a second Steven wasn't sure whose side was losing.

Until he saw his Blastoise's Hydro Cannon getting closer to himself.

"_Nooooooo!_" Steven yelled as he stood back a step in a vain attempt to get out of the way but his fatigue was too high and so he could only stand in wide eyed horror as the trio beam of water was extinguished. Ross' Venusaur's Frenzy Plant crashed against his Blastoise and himself and sent him flying back, crashing hard against the wall. He yelled in the pain and just before falling the plants caught him, tying him to the wall as they did so. He grunted and in his pain could do nothing as he struggled vainly to release himself.

"Overgrow." Ross spoke aloud as the dust finally began to settle, green eyes narrowed. His brown boots echoed within the destroyed laboratory with each step he took. He finally got into sight and Steven growled down at him. His Blastoise remained face down in its fainting from the Supereffective Grass Type attack.

It couldn't hack it…

"An Ability which increases my Venusaur's Grass Type attack power by one point five times when its hit points are less than half." Ross began as he frowned and walked forward, his hands in his pockets. He stopped as he ended his walk just below the narrow eyed Steven. "You never had a _chance_," he finished in a venomous scowl and narrow of his eyes. Steven stared back down in his own narrow eyed expression.

"You had six on your team right?"

"Yeah?" Ross asked curiously.

"I had five," Steven grinned as he was kept prisoner on the wall. Ross' eyes lightly widened in seeming surprise before he slowly narrowed them again.

"It means nothing." the Battler claimed and the Frenzy Plant holding his rival up soon retracted back into the creature of origin. Steven grunted as he fell to the floor on his legs, going to his knees and wrists. He winced in the pain but dealt with it as he rose up his head. "This should be more than enough for you to come to terms with; keep out of this and leave me alone," the brown spiky haired Trainer ordered in his narrow eyed frown before he recalled back his Venusaur and made for the exit.

Steven growled as he turned his head around to watch the boy leave. "Wait Ross!" he called out and the boy _did_ stop however he did not turn his head. "We used to be best friends! Don't shut me out anymore; I can help you! We can help each _other!_ You can't save your grandfather alone; ya gotta listen to me Ross!" Steven pleaded quickly as he tried to raise himself. Several seconds passed that seemed almost like hours as Steven's heart pounded, waiting terribly for his rival to respond.

"I have no friends." Ross muttered back out as he turned his head halfway before heading on back out. Steven could only watch his rival head out the laboratory in a veritable wince of agony.

Another loss.

He turned to recall back his fallen Blastoise and smiled sadly down at it inside its safe and secure sphere. "Sorry Blast-" he began in a blink before chuckling as he realised its new nickname. "Oblivion." he chuckled as he remembered the name that Brinca called it. Strange.

It seemed to suit it.

They seemed to work better together when he used it too.

Oh well.

The boy gripped and made the sphere grow smaller before belting it and frowning up at the disappeared Ross.

"I can't give up… not yet." he murmured as he stared on after the gone form of his rival however before he could think of anything else a form reappeared through the dark exit and before he even knew it, his jacket began to vibrate.

What the-

In his pocket was his Pokédex Version I; the blue light shined brightly and it vibrated in his hands strongly.

"Steven?" a voice called. A soft one and feminine. For a second he thought it was Misty and then the form appeared in the light left in the destroyed laboratory.

The frowning Kimberley with her usual companion Kevin at her side.

Steven scowled at the two and pocketed his vibrating Pokédex. "What do _you_ two want?" he asked cheekily and she frowned back at him before tucking a lock of brown hair behind her ear.

"What happened here?"

"Ross and I battled,"

"Battled?" Kevin parroted in a derisive snort as he folded his arms to check the wreckage of the Professor's once proud laboratory. "Looks like all you've just done is destroy the damn-"

"Kevin!" Kimberley hissed angrily and the young man rolled his eyes as he turned his head away from the two. "Why did you battle?" she asked in a raise of her brown eyebrow.

"The Professor's been kidnapped and he wants to go alone to save him. I wanted to help him but…" the red capped boy began as he scowled lightly and turned his red eyes down to the ground. He snapped them back up at Kimberley's blue. "I'm going anyway,"

"He win?" Kevin asked in a raise of his eyebrow. Kimberley gave him a quick glare and the Renegade could only shrug in a cringe.

"Yeah he won." the boy muttered before slowly grinning. "But not by much. I can do this." he thought aloud in his confidence growing grin. "I'll save his grandfather before _he _even can!" the boy grinned as he pumped a confident fist before rushing forward for the blown off door.

"Wait!" Kimberley called suddenly and the boy blinked as he turned his head 'round, halting his run. "We're coming with you,"

"Why?" Steven asked in a suspicious narrow of his red eyes.

"Yeah why?" her companion at her side winced in a whisper. Kimberley shook him off and frowned over at the boy ahead of her.

"You helped me at Celadon. I'd probably be dead right now if you hadn't gone in after me." the brown haired Pallet girl frowned over at him and Steven lost his scowl as he frowned back. Kevin rolled his eyes and folded his arms as he tapped at the floor impatiently. "I feel bad about abandoning you to Giovanni and so does Kevin," she claimed. When Kevin didn't respond she scowled lightly and poked his side with her elbow. He grunted.

"Eh yeah," he mumbled out and frowned away from the two. Steven's face grew softer as he frowned over at the two, his back lowering lightly.

"It's fine." he murmured. "I was frightened too," he claimed quietly as he frowned down at the ground below him.

"Then come with us! We'll go save the Professor together!" Kimberley smiled as she edged a step forward, gesturing to herself and the frowning Kevin at her side. Steven raised up his head and narrowed his eyes at the two.

"I don't know if I can trust you," he claimed and the Wanderer's face fell as she stopped.

"I give you my word I won't abandon you and so does Kevin. Right Kev?" the girl smiled lightly as she turned her head. Kevin nodded in an impatient frown and Steven stared suspiciously. After a few seconds of consideration he gave in with a sigh through his nose, nodding his head as he did so.

"All right. Come on," he frowned and turned his body to head out the laboratory.

"Great!" Kimberley smiled as she jogged on forward to follow him. Kevin followed his own companion and frowned lazily as he did so, arms in his pockets.

_**4**_

The new group of three soon made their way to Pallet's edge, overseeing the sea route to Route Twenty One and Cinnabar Island.

"Kimberley." Steven called quietly as he stared out at the long stretch of sea ahead of him. "If you're gonna get involved with working with me – if you _both_ are – I want you to both be honest and upfront about everything that happens." the boy spoke as curtly but as honestly as he could, eyes narrowed and staying on the blanket of sea laid out before him. Kimberley blinked at his right side behind him before nodding and smiling down at him.

"Of course,"

"Do you have a Pokédex?" the boy asked out suddenly and even the brown haired Wanderer gasped in surprise, eyes widening. Steven turned his head in a narrow eyed frown to mix his red eyes with her blue. "Well, do you?" he further questioned. She winced and nodded as she brought out the device in question. Previously it had seemingly vibrated in her pocket just as his did.

"So it's true…" Steven murmured as he saw the remainder red light on her Pokédex before turning his head back in narrow eyed thought.

"What is?" Kevin asked in a raise of his eyebrow as he stuck his arms behind his head. Steven put his head back up to stare at the Route ahead of him.

"My own Pokédex… it vibrated as well,"

"So?"

"I'd just finished battling Ross,"

Kimberley gasped in widened eyes. "You think it's a transmitter of some kind?"

Steven nodded in narrowed eyes. "Yeah; I think that the Professor designed these things to pick up signals of their owners if they're close to each other,"

"Come on man; sounds like a lot of Tauros shit," Kevin chuckled derisively as he folded his arms.

"Who knows…" Steven murmured before he suddenly took out his Blastoise and threw out its Poké Ball. It exploded in the sea with smoke and the boy walked on over to stand on the recovered Water Type's turtle like back. It grinned up at its Trainer behind it before frowning determinedly and seriously ahead of itself. "But if I'm right then these Pokédexes can help me find Ross in that building in Saffron. There's no way he can take on Giovanni alone… no way." the boy finished in an adamant, almost frightened whisper as he narrowed his red eyes in worrying thought. Kimberley and Kevin exchanged a worried look before nodding.

"We'll help ya kid." Kevin grinned as he walked on over to throw out his own sphere; a Tentacruel. He leapt up on its back and knelt down as he did so, turning his head in his grin to the surprised boy at his right side. "We _do_ owe ya after all,"

_BOM_

A Slowbro appeared at Steven's own right side and Kimberley grunted lightly as she landed. Steven turned his head in a surprised frown again. "We'll deliver this time," she smiled down at him and the boy couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"Thanks guys," he smiled back lightly before turning his head back to his destination.

"So what's the plan chief?" Kevin grinned over at the temporary new leader of their new group.

"We Surf back to Fuchsia and from there we move onto Saffron but we have to be quick; Ross is probably already on his way and his grandfather's kidnappers'll be using that to their advantage to lure him in," the boy quickly explained as he narrowed his eyes.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Kimberley exclaimed as she grinned and kicked her Slowbro's sides to start it ahead. Unfortunately the slow minded Pokémon seemed content to lie in the waves. Kimberley sighed as she face palmed and the two males at her side couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Kevin grinned over before he kicked his own Pokémon into action. It surfed across the ocean at a high speed and Kimberley's Slowbro finally shot forward to follow. Steven watched them for a moment before smiling.

"We're comin' Ross." he whispered before positioning himself in a leant turn of his body. The Blastoise at his feet bulleted forward as if it knew his silent order, following its companions.

A/N: Steven's Life Points drop to zero:

/watch?v=QYZV8tOwb8Y

On a side note The Devil Deity would like everyone to know that he and the ICL CEO have much, MUCH love for each other. =D


	21. Assault

**Chapter 21: Assault**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_**"Gentle Rain" – Mother 3i OST. **__Scene __**1**__._

_** "This Machine"; 'Looker' and 'Ketak's Theme – Sonic Heroes OST. **Scene **4.**_

_**"Attack" – Final Fantasy X OST. **__Scene __**5**__ and various others._

_** "Battle 3" – Pokémon Collosseum OST. **Scenes **9** and **10.**_

_** "Hurry!" – Final Fantasy X OST. **Scene **11** (First and Second Half)._

_Beaten is the only word that resonates through Steven's mind, just as before when battling the seemingly unstoppable force of Giovanni Vittorio. And yet unlike before he is renewed quickly and with a new sense of vigour decides to ally himself with the willing Renegade Kevin and his companion as well as Pokédex holder Kimberley. In an attempt to assist his rival Ross in rescuing his kidnapped grandfather, the newly allied party of three Surf across the waters of Kanto's Route Twenty One and beyond; they hope to reach Saffron City in enough time to lend help before it is too late…_

_Bill, Misty and Red continue their vain search for their missing companion in Saffron City itself however after a long search they finally decide to call it a night and head to the local Hotel. However when they arrive they receive much more than a place to sleep…_

_Ross meanwhile continues in his one man search for his grandfather Samuel Oak. With his Alakazam he easily Teleports back to the Shining Big City itself and begins his search…_

_**Scene 1**_

"Yup… just for three…" Bill smiled as he stood at the counter of the hotel the group had chosen to stay for the night. Misty stood at the seating area and watched the television they had placed up on the wall with little to no interest at all. Her mind was on their missing companion as well as what he may have been up to.

Though it was pretty obvious what.

It obviously had something to do with the kidnapped Professor Oak.

"Well that's us booked!" Bill's voice cut in as he walked on over towards the two. Red turned her head from the seat she sat in next to Misty and smiled up at the Administrator. Misty turned her own head in a surprised blink before forcing a smile on her face. Bill couldn't help but smile and give a light laugh. "Listen Misty, don't worry about it! He'll come back; he always does and even if he doesn't we'll go looking for him in the morning. He's a big boy I'm sure he can take care of himself," the computer literate young man grinned in his confident answer. Misty chuckled.

"Yeah," she answered simply.

"Now come on! We got some beds a-waitin' for us!" the young man grinned further as he gestured his head to the elevators at the end of the lobby. Red smiled and raised herself to go follow whereas Misty smiled and shook her head.

"I'll catch up,"

"Suit yourself! Come on Red," the brown haired nerd smiled as he turned his body to head down, gripping his back pack as he did so. His red haired companion soon followed and Misty was allowed time to herself. She sighed and let go of her forced smile as she sunk into the large leather armchair at her feet, sinking her face in her palm as she did so.

"Just kill me," she groaned quietly.

"You havin' problems too?"

Misty gasped in widened greenish eyes. She took her face out of her palm and turned it to find a smiling blue haired girl. She looked around her age and sat in the chair to her right across from her.

She hadn't even _noticed_ her.

"Oh hi," the red head smiled back. The blue haired nodded in respect.

"Hi. Elaine," the girl introduced herself with a wave and a light smile. Misty stuck another smile on her face as she nodded.

"Misty,"

"So Misty what's got ya so sore?" Elaine asked in a light smile as she leaned in lightly. Seemed she was happy to have another face to talk to.

Truth be told so was Misty.

"Just a friend," she smiled and Elaine threw her head back in a laugh.

"Always huh? What's up?" the lightning blue haired girl grinned over and Misty couldn't help but smile back.

Seemed as if it was contagious.

"My friend; he decided to leave us in the middle of a journey," the red head smiled and Elaine's own smile was lost to her. She gained a frown in its place and took her head back a smidge.

"Wow that's a little jerkish isn't it?" the girl asked in a raise of her blue eyebrow.

"And irresponsible,"

"And idiotic,"

"And _stupid_," Misty finished in her growing grin before the two burst out laughing. The receptionist at the counter raised an eyebrow as she gave them a look on over, still talking through the telephone that rang previously. Finally they stopped however and Elaine grinned over at her.

"I have the same sorta problem. My friend Ross just up and left. He thinks that his grandfather's in trouble." the blue haired girl smiled lightly as she explained. "So here I am holdin' the bag for him." she chuckled. "Pathetic huh?"

Misty's mind clicked almost instantly and her eyes widened a fraction. "Ross? Ross _Oak?_"

Elaine blinked in a curious frown. "Yeah?"

Misty leaned forward in a narrow eyed frown of her own. "Did you happen to see a boy with him? Red cap, red and white jacket, black shirt and blue jeans? Brown hair?" the red head began in a narrow eyed frown. Elaine blinked as she searched her memory banks before slowly nodding. Her speed in the nodding increased before she lowered her head and frowned lightly.

"Yeah; Ross seemed to know him," she answered.

Misty's head veered back a little and she frowned again. "He went with Ross?" she murmured. "But then…" she murmured again before rising up her head and widening her eyes. Elaine seemed to catch onto her train of thinking and so widened her own eyes slowly, almost deliberately.

"Then they must be planning to attack the kidnappers!" the two exclaimed suddenly simultaneously. The receptionist turned her head in a surprised blink, temporarily halting her phone call and the two girls waved it off with an embarrassed wince.

"But how do we know who the kidnappers are? After all the media won't release any information-"

Misty only said one name in her interruption. "Silph," she shot back in a narrow eyed frown and Elaine's crystalline eyes blinked in surprise.

"Silph? But why them?"

"There's been word out in the news that Silph is doing a promotion for a charity event tomorrow; some kind of new Poké Ball." Misty answered in a show of her analytical mind. "So if I'm right… then both boys will _probably_ sit themselves outside of the Silph Company's building to watch,"

"But… I still don't understand; why Silph?" Elaine asked in a blinking turn of her head. Misty frowned and lowered her eyes as she went through the theory in her head one more time. She raised her head once finished to answer again.

"Personally I think that it's been Team Rocket that's kidnapped Oak; something that involves Giovanni." the red head began loudly enough but soon descended into a worrying whisper, eyes narrowed down at the ground. Elaine turned her head in a curious blink. "At the very least I think that's what's being prepared," the red head claimed and Elaine sighed.

"Well… I have no idea so I'll trust your judgment," the blue haired girl frowned in a defeated expression as she raised herself from her seat.

Misty smiled, thankful for being trusted. "Thanks," she smiled, suddenly feeling very refreshed.

Strange.

"Well I better get some sleep for tomorrow. Sounds like it'll be a tough day," the blue haired Trainer smiled lightly, almost forced. Misty forced a smile of her own as she turned her head to the girl.

"Okay Elaine. I'll see ya tomorrow." the red head smiled. "And it was nice to meet you!" she called after the walking Elaine. The girl turned her head to wave off the red head and Misty gave her a final smile before sighing and turning her head back up at the television above her. "A tough day huh." the red head murmured.

That was putting it lightly.

_**2**_

It had been a long way 'round but they had finally gotten through the sea route and past Cinnabar Island as well as the known landmark Seafoam Islands and Fuchsia City...

To reach Saffron City.

They had pushed their Pokémon to the limit to reach their destination but with little more than a few hours of preparation, Steven and his Blastoise 'Oblivion' caught their breaths in one of Saffron's main alleys. The sun was coming up now and with little time to rest the two were acutely aware of the media's charity event in a few hours.

"Early mornin' huh?" Kevin began as he recalled his tired Tauros, breathing in the air with a deep sniff and a heave of his mouth. "Doesn't even seem like we're about to take down Silph today does it?" the young man grinned over at his brown haired companion behind him. Steven rose up his head and gave him a light chuckle in all his sweaty fatigue. "So… when we bouncin' out to _take_ this bitch?" he grinned further as he turned and slapped his fist against his palm.

"Gimme a few… minutes." Steven managed out as he gasped on the floor alone. Kevin rolled his eyes and placed his hand on his hip as he did so.

"I guess we should let the Pokémon rest too," he murmured.

"That'd be a good idea," Kimberley grinned into the picture as she walked back through the alley.

"Kim!" Kevin grinned. "So any sign yet?"

She shook her long brown haired head. "Nope; I couldn't even find _Ross_ anywhere. He's well hidden,"

"Well…" Steven began in a narrow eyed frown at the ground as he gasped for air. "He _is_ lookin' for his grandfather; he isn't taking this lightly,"

"I realise that but we should-"

"We can't do a thing." Steven shot back as he frowned on up at the blinking, blue eyed Kimberley. "If we move now we risk giving ourselves away and we can't let that happen. We have to let these guys show themselves today and once that's done we mingle with the crowd and get ourselves in there," the boy briefly explained as he narrowed his eyes, slowly settling down it seemed. Kimberley nodded in a defeated frown.

"We'll need to be careful. I hear the CEO of the ICL's in that building," the Wanderer spoke up as she frowned and turned her head to her ever lasting companion. Kevin snapped his head over at her with a wide eyed blink.

Steven blinked at the two's reaction but shook his head as he turned his eyes and head downward.

None of his business.

"Oh he _is,_ is he?" Kevin chimed deviously as he rubbed his fingers together in a trollish grin.

"Kevin," Kim warned in a narrow eyed groan.

"Whaaaaat? You know me baby! I'll just be nice about things!" the Renegade shot back in a grinning turn of his hands, almost as trollish as before. Kim folded her arms and rolled her blue eyes.

Steven turned his red eyes over to the Silph Company Building to his right; the huge spire that dominated the skyline almost intimidated him completely.

Had Ross not already decided to rush on in there.

He'd storm that place and take back Oak or die trying. But… for now…

Rest.

* * *

"And we're live just outside Saffron City's very own Silph Company for the unveiling of the very first Master Ball Poké Ball!" the reporter grinned into the camera and her microphone. The crowd behind her all screamed and whooped, throwing party poppers into the air, balloons and the like. "Let's just get a word at the charity that helped make this happen!" the reporter smiled before she walked on towards to the building itself, pulling the cameraman with a pull of her index and forefinger.

A grinning Adam Lyle himself stood at the red velvet rope blockade, rising up his arms for greeting waves at his seeming adoring fans. The reporter walked on up to him and he grinned back over at her as he noticed her coming. "Mr. Lyle how can you – as a spokesman and leader of your charity – show such devotion to the completion of the Master Ball Poké Ball?" she asked before rising up the microphone to his mouth.

He grinned as confidently as before, before answering. "Simple; humans must learn to co-exist if they wish to thrive. Something that not even the most intelligent people seem to grasp in this world let alone this country," he spoke and even the reporter herself looked surprised at the answer.

"Uh quite so!" she smiled uncertainly and Mr. Lyle smirked back before re greeting his fans. "So let's get a word from the leader of our government! The ICL CEO himself!" the reporter smiled back into the camera before striding on over to the scowling man named. He – like his colleague Adam – stood on the other end of the velvety rope and so she reached over to speak to him. "Sir! How can you tell us that the Master Ball will affect-" she began in a bright smile as she spoke into her microphone. However the fat faced overweight scowling monster of a man swivelled his ugly glare on her and narrowed his eyes as he did so.

"Fuck _off,_" the angry officer glared quietly and menacingly before turning his scowl on the crowd ahead of him, eyes narrowed and peeled as if looking for something much missed. His secretary at his side mouthed a wincing apology.

Meanwhile the reporter struck a surprised poker face and decided not to rise to his bait. "And… there… you have it!" the young woman grinned convincingly as she swivelled back around to the cameraman.

Away from the large crowd were the staked out group of Kevin the Renegade, Kimberley the Wanderer and Steven. Hanging around Silph's left side they spied on the comings and goings of the charity event.

"Ooooh I see him!" Kevin grinned happily as he watched edgily from his side of the wall, standing up high enough for the other two to watch also.

"Yeah I see him too," Kimberley groaned in a rolling eyed wince. The man himself; the ICL CEO stood at the Silph Company's main door.

Steven however was watching neither the charity event itself nor the ICL CEO; his particular attention was caught on one man. The man that stood _beside _the overweight leader of Kanto and Johto. His confident grin and constant waves seemed to remind him of someone. His red eyes narrowed slowly as he studied his face as best he could from the distance – which to be fair wasn't much – however couldn't prepare himself for the short haired man's turn.

As Mr. Adam Lyle slowly turned his head – and frowned as he did so – Steven's red eyes slowly expanded open as the puzzle pieces in his head mixed to form.

And only when the older man's eyes mixed with his own did Steven discover who Adam Lyle really was.

As soon as he saw the slow smirk on Lyle's face, Steven gasped and fell on his rear, backing up to the wall behind him. He breathed heavily as he did so and his two companions turned their head to blink over at him.

"What is it?" Kimberley asked in a raised eyebrow.

"I bet he recoiled at the CEO," her Renegade companion smirked in a trollish fashion before turning his grin on the charity event. Kimberley rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day.

"G-G-Giov-vanni," the boy managed out as he winced continually, arms gripping the pavement beneath him. Even Kevin turned his head to blink at the frightened boy.

"What?" he blinked.

"H-H-He kn-knows…!" the red capped boy whispered out desperately as he leaned in lightly to narrow his eyes at the two. They turned their curious heads to see what their companion was so frightened about to find the grinning brown haired man turn his head back to the adoring crowd.

"Whatever." Kevin murmured and shrugged as he turned his new grin on the scowling and watching CEO. "Bet he's watching for me," the Renegade smirked knowingly.

Steven shook terribly as he seemed to struggle to breath at all. _"I'm not even sure if I can beat him."_ the boy thought to himself in a quick grow of his self doubt. That grin on the man's face was enough to destroy any self confidence he might have had.

But… Ross… and his _grandfather_…

If it wasn't for those two…

He gulped down a load of saliva and stood back up with a narrow eyed and fragile frown. Kimberley and Kevin turned their heads to catch him in surprised blinks. "If we're gonna do this we're gonna do this now," the red capped boy claimed as he put on a brave face, his eyes careful not to rest on the previously watching Mr. Lyle.

"Hell yeah; let's go troll." the Renegade grinned back as he turned his head. Kimberley growled and back slapped his head before smiling at Steven and nodding. Kevin groaned in a wince as he nursed his aching head.

"Lead the way!" Kimberley smiled in a whisper as she raised herself and followed the gulping boy.

He wished he could.

_**3**_

"I don't see them," Misty murmured as she moved in between the growing crowd at Saffron Square.

"You're _sure_ they're around here?" Bill called loudly so as to be heard. Misty nodded along with her new travelling companion Elaine.

"Almost completely positive," the electric blue haired Trainer frowned as she watched in between of the crowds.

"Wait!" Misty gasped as she turned her head up and Elaine's snapped over with hers.

"What?" she asked desperately, head craning all over the place to see what her companion seemed to see.

Misty gained a slow smile on her face and turned it into a wide grin as she waved her hand up. "Tom! Yo!" she called in her grin as she waved like a lunatic. Elaine traced her stare to find her waving at a well dressed gentleman with a camera in his hand. A Chikorita was on his shoulder and turned to smile widely at the hidden group. Its Trainer of course blinked as he turned his head to find the gang of four. He wore a simple brown hat, grey slack trousers and a light brown jacket on top of a light green vest.

He didn't seem to have his old cane though.

His face brightened up as he caught the red head's face in his sights and even raised his arm to wave her over. Misty turned her smile over to the watching and blinking Elaine however Bill smiled as he followed wordlessly.

"Who's _he?_" Elaine asked in a disgusted turn of her face as she wrinkled her nose. Misty rolled her aquamarine eyes and instead chose to continue on weaving through the crowd. Soon enough the group of four found themselves reunited with the warm young boy from Sinnoh.

"My friends!" Tom grinned at them happily as he opened up his arms invitingly. Misty smiled as she hugged the young boy and pulled back for her other companions to follow through. Bill smiled as he shook the boy's hand and the ever quiet Red nervously embraced the boy.

Elaine didn't even look at him.

The electric blue haired girl shot her scowling face over to the charity event taking place and folded her arms in a pouting manner. Tom was left with a wondering blink.

"Um. Hi! I'm Tom," he introduced with a chancing smile as he leant forward, edging his hand out. Again she ignored him and the boy turned his head curiously.

"Don't worry about her," Misty smiled wearingly as she shook her head dismissively. Bill shrugged in a similar expressed smile. Tom sighed and pulled back his hand frowning as he shrugged however gained a quick smile back on his face as he caught the nervous faced Red.

"And who's this lovely young lady?" he asked in a smile as he looked up at the taller girl.

"Her name's Red!" Bill smiled for her and placed a sympathetic hand to her shoulder. The red head smiled over her shoulder at him. "She doesn't like talking so much," he admitted for her and Tom smiled as he nodded.

"So how's Kanto treating you?" Misty began in her own smile as she stuck a hand up to her pack.

"Ha, ha; excellent!" the boy grinned back as he rose up the small camera in his right hand. "There's just so _much_ to see in this city let alone the country itself and everyone around is so very kind!"

Bill laughed. "There's a surprise,"

"Why's that?" Tom merely blinked in wonder.

"Most people I find are generally not very nice," the Administrator claimed in a knowing grin. Tom shrugged it off and smiled regardless however.

"Wait!" the well dressed boy began however in a surprised blink as he quietly counted the group of four. "What about the young gentleman that picked out my outfit for me? Where's he?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you about." Misty began as she lost her frown and got straight down to business. "Have you seen him?"

"The young man with the red cap?"

Misty nodded but ignored the derisive snort from their new companion Elaine. "Yeah!" she exuberantly nodded in positive.

"Apologies; can't say I have." the young man frowned on back sadly and Misty's own frown returned. "I can help you look for him if you wish!" the Trainer beamed helpfully and the red head smiled woefully back as she shook her head.

"Nah we can't make you do tha-"

"Ah but I insist!" the young Gentleman shot back in a confident grin as he rose up his index finger. Misty gasped at the interruption but couldn't help finding herself in a genuine smile. "After the kindness you showed us it is the _least_ we can do! Right Chiko?" the young man grinned as he turned to mix his own expression with the Grass Type hanging on his shoulder. It nodded happily.

"Like totally boss man!" it exuded forth. The on watching group of four recoiled in surprise at the English speaking Pokémon but nevertheless laughed regardless.

It wasn't _totally_ impossible.

"We really appreciate this," Bill chuckled in his smile as he fixed his hair from the oncoming party poppers and balloons. Tom laughed as he shook his head.

"Think nothing of it!" the boy grinned back before going into his belt for two other Poké Balls. Out popped a well mannered Weavile and a scowling as well as a folded armed Zangoose. The Weavile bowed respectfully at group with a smile on its face.

"Charmed," it spoke in a foreign like accent. Bill chuckled as he watched.

"Piss heads," the Zangoose muttered in a low scowl as it snapped its head away from the watching three. Elaine's head snapped over and she scowled angrily at the impatient Normal Type and the two soon mixed angry stares. Misty winced as she couldn't help but notice and so pulled the blue haired battler with her.

"Come on Elaine! We can look for Ross!" she laughed nervously as she pulled the young girl's sleeve. She didn't drop her glare however as neither did the scowling Zangoose, eyes tracing each other and silently warning one another.

Tom was glad to high heaven they had split up.

"Ooo_kay_ then." Bill managed out in a raising eyebrow smile as he turned to the watching Tom. "What are you guys gonna do?"

"Well I think it best if I split up from these three and search for your companion on my own; we can meet up here after the charity finally gets started!" the boy explained happily in his smile.

"W-W-What… a-about…" the meek spoken Red at Bill's side began in a veritable wince. Bill turned his head with a surprised blink before he quickly caught onto her words.

"I wouldn't worry; Misty's pretty resourceful," Bill claimed in a light smile. Red slowly broke into a smile of her own.

"Let us begin our search then!" Tom began in a morale raising grin as he turned to his Pokémon. "Ready?"

"Quite," the Weavile smiled ever so lightly as it stood in the perfect posture.

"You got it boss!" the ever cheery Chikorita grinned as it winked at its master.

"Let's just get this over with," the Zangoose muttered impatiently.

"Then depart!" Tom grinned as he pointed up to the sky in a dramatic show indeed. The Pokémon all stuck together as they raced through the crowds disappearing.

_**4**_

Samuel Oak gasped in wide eyed pain as he suffered yet another punch to the face, sending his head to his far and lower right and keeping the rest of his body in hold. He sat in a small chair atop the Silph Company's highest floor and grunted as his head was yanked back to place. The astute Professor growled as he snapped his head up to find his grinning captor; a short black haired man.

Richard Scott.

"God I love my job." the Rocket Grunt grinned out before he grunted with the effort in a low punch to the old man's chest. Oak doubled over as best he could in his current position, gasping out in the pain once more. The black haired criminal smirked as he gripped the old man's hair and yanked his head back up painfully. "Look at you." Rick chuckled derisively as he smirked down at the elderly man. "'The Walking Kanto Encyclopaedia." the man began in another chuckle before narrowing his eyes even further. Oak's own eyes also narrowed but he scowled in contrast. Rick's grin grew a little as he continued. "You're a fucking _joke_."

As if on cue, the former Trainer growled and spat blood up at his captor's face, taking the wide eyed Rick by surprise. He grunted and wiped the blood off his face as if a spider had crawled all over him, staring gawp eyed at the red liquid on his fingers. However soon his face slowly began to turn into silent rage and with teeth grit he swiped his left fist away as if for effect before grunting angrily as he slugged the chuckling Professor across his face once more.

The Pokémon Professor easily recovered as before however and coughed out once before resuming his chuckle, much to Rick's chagrin. "Look at you." the man began and Rick's eyes widened as his scowl deepened. He stopped to listen however. "'The Scourge of Vermilion'." he spoke out, as if mirroring what the Grunt had spoken before. "You're _pathetic_." he finished in a satisfied grin as he narrowed his eyes up at the black haired young man.

Rick's handgun was at Oak's head in an instant.

"No Richard!" a Grunt exclaimed as he leapt forth from watching to grab the man's hand to take the weapon away.

"Get the _fuck_ out o' here," the quiet but belligerently mannered Rick grunted back as he shrugged his arm in a pistol whip slap to the Grunt's face, sending him reeling back to his rear. Another Grunt watched from the sidelines, his face hidden away under his large black hat, folding his arms as he did so.

"But if you kill him then Giovanni-" the first Grunt stammered out and Rick's scowl was suddenly swerved on the poor young man himself.

"_Fuck_ Giovanni; he doesn't. Need. To know." the Scourge of Vermilion whispered out dangerously and angrily before he slowly but surely pulled the trigger.

That was when the second Grunt finally moved to action.

He leapt forward and with blinding speed managed to intercept Rick with a binding body blow to the stomach. Time slowed down for the watching party of two and they were treated to a slow scene of the face hid second Grunt, sending his fist through the sadistic psycho's stomach. It sent the wide eyed Rick flying, tumbling to the ground harshly. The usually strong Rick however seemed to be unconscious already.

"You always were stronger Looker," the first Grunt grinned as he forced himself up from the ground in a veritable grunt of effort, dusting himself off as he did so. The second Grunt turned his head and yanked off his large black hat as he did so, frowning in a miffed expression as he always did.

But Ketak knew better.

Looker was a tall, lean and intimidating looking man with spiky but flat and lean black hair that almost seemed to speak volumes of the man's personality.

"Why we were partnered is irrelevant." the second Grunt claimed as he walked on forward to join his seeming comrade. "You take the old man; I'll go on and look for Giovanni," the man called Looker frowned business like at his seeming 'partner'; a seemingly normal man in his own right. The first Grunt grinned back as he nodded before rising up his thumb.

Ketak smirked as he replied. "I got this; tear him a new ass," he requested and his companion could only smirk back in response.

"I'll be back before you can even take the old man out of here." Looker smirked before he took off running down the room and out the doors. His black haired accomplice lost his grin however as he turned to frown at the wide eyed Oak.

"Who sent you?" the old man gasped out in shock and surprise. Ketak smirked back as he ran his hand through his long black hair, clearly just a little vain about his looks. He moved forward however and worked at the Professor's bonds, grinning as he did so before finally pulling back and allowing the elderly man space to stand.

"Call 'em…" Ketak began before running another vain hand through his hair, smiling brightly in a grand show of his looks. "The International Police."

_**5**_

"And I dub the Master Ball prototype open for public use!" the ICL CEO exclaimed out in an angered scowl as he shot the purple coloured sphere into the air, allowing the press below him to snap many photos and for the watching public to erupt into a deafening cheer. Unbeknownst to the ever angry CEO however, a grinning Mr. Lyle slowly disappeared into the shadows of the Silph's building.

Sure enough the staff members of the Silph Company all threw out purple coloured spheres similar to the one in the CEO's hand.

_Master _Balls.

"I couldn't find anyone," Bill admitted as he ran back to the middle of the crowd, breathing out heavily as he did so a tired out Red next to him. Misty joined him and Red and was similarly fatigued.

"Yeah… Me… neither…" the red head replied in a huff of air as she did so. Elaine next her chose not to respond and only scowled as she folded her arms and turned her head away.

Clearly she hadn't seen anything either.

Misty was ready to give up when she heard her name being called in the chaos of the group. She snapped her head 'round in a surprised blink to find a frowning Tom's head – barely visible – in amidst the circle of screaming public. She turned and exchanged a nod with most of the small group before she chose to follow, her companions hot on her heels. Finally she reached his position and got straight down to business.

"I found him!" Tom exclaimed above the riotous raucous, eyes narrowed as he did so. Misty's, Bill's and Red's face lit up however Elaine remained as stoic as ever.

"Where?" Misty called back.

"I don't think that he could see me!" the young man shouted out. "But I saw him go into the Silph Building's open window with two others!"

Misty was surprised by _that_. Two _others?_ Bill tapped her shoulder and the red head turned in a blink and a single look from him was all she needed for the answer.

No, not _those_ two; not after Celadon.

"What is it?" Tom exclaimed over the noise. She turned and shook her head.

"We need some kind of distraction to get us in there!" the former Gym Leader shot back and Tom blinked as he turned; seemingly beginning to ponder a method in.

That was when the window above them all smashed harshly and two men in Silph employee uniform fell through, crashing to the ground hard and then remaining motionless. For a moment the entire public all stopped to watch in deathly silence and even Misty found herself gawking at the two – possibly – deceased pair of fallen men.

_Then_ the chaos erupted.

Men, women and children screamed madly and scrambled to escape Saffron Square and the ICL CEO screamed in pure anger as he raised his meaty arms to smash them upon the podium he stood upon.

"Do _not_ panic!" he began in his angry exclamation though it seemed fruitless. "You will _all _do as I _saaaaaaaaaaay!_" the overweight man screeched through his microphone. Unfortunately his warnings were lost to the oblivious crowd; they all weaved in and out and pushed many as they attempted to run from the area. As if _that_ wasn't bad enough an explosion suddenly sounded off above their heads in the Silph Company building.

"No!" Bill exclaimed as he raised his head to block any fallen debris or glass that may fall. Luckily they seemed safe but no safer than their companions currently inside the building. However with the current chaos, the group now had their ticket to slip in unnoticed; Elaine it seemed was the first to catch on and she sprinted forward before turning and silently calling on her companions with a pull of her right hand. They all followed of course and one by one, managed to slip on by the screaming CEO himself, his and his wincing assistant's attention focused directly on the chaotic public below him.

"And _that's_ the end of _that_ chapter." Kevin smirked impudently as he pulled back his cracking fist, the fallen bodies of at least three to two unconscious members of the organisation Team Rocket. What were _more_ surprising than anything – even the explosion the small group had previously heard – were the men they had fought.

_Every_ member of Team Rocket was all wearing the official Silph Company employee uniform.

It was difficult to tell the difference sometimes.

"Anything?" Kimberley frowned as she walked up to him from her own previous task of roughing up a few Grunts. Kevin frowned back as he cracked his knuckles and shook his head.

"Nah; you?"

"Nope," the Wanderer shook her head back at the Renegade.

"Hm." the Renegade murmured in his throat as he turned to frown over at the standing Steven away from them, his attention on a few Grunts he had beaten by himself though with his Pokémon.

Of course they were unconscious.

"Anything kid?" Kevin frowned as he walked on forward, Kimberley at his side. Steven raised his red capped head in his own blinking frown before shaking his head in negative.

"They're loyal." he began in a narrow eyed frown before narrowing his red orbs even further, turning his head back down to the fallen Grunts as he did so. "_Very_ loyal," he admitted and Kevin nodded.

"With a leader like that Giovanni guy I'm not surprised,"

"Yeah." Steven murmured under his breath as he stared down at the unconscious men below him. He recalled back his interrogating Magneton and turned down the hall, calling on his companions as he did so. "Come on!" he called and they nodded as they ran on after him.

They ran on through the many halls of the Silph Co.'s building, weaving in and out of their actual employees and easily beating down any challengers from Rocket however just as Steven was ready to give up he had spotted a quick purple flash running down a hall to his right. The brown haired Trainer gasped and snapped his head 'round before sprinting on down the hallway to follow, eyes narrowed as he did so. He wasn't sure if his new companions were following but he could only hope they were; he couldn't waste this opportunity.

He 'rounded the corner like a corkscrew and scowled as he did so before stopping in place suddenly in a wide eyed gasp. Sure enough there he was for all to admire; the scowling Ross bent down on his knees over a squealing man, unloading his fists of pure fury upon his poor face.

"Where! Is! My! _Grandfather?_" Ross shouted out angrily as he punctuated each end of his sentences with a harsh side on punch to the grunting man's cheeks and face, his voice almost completely drowned out by the all of the chaotic noise. His red capped rival widened his eyes in surprise before darting forward and grabbing hold of the belligerent boy's arms.

"Ngh! That's enough!" he grunted out and Ross' own green eyes snapped open wide before he turned his head to scowl.

"_You_ again!" he exclaimed in his anger. However as he struggled with the boy above him to be released, the previously squealing man beneath him used the opportunity to scramble to his feet and run, gasping zealously as he did so. "No!" Ross exclaimed in surprise as he snapped his head back 'round. He stopped his struggling for just a moment, lowering his head as he scowled angrily, his body slowly trembling.

"Ross?" Steven blinked down at the young boy however he was taken by surprise; the spiky brown haired male yelled angrily as he spun around in a horizontal slap of his left hand. It struck the taken aback red eyed rival and sent him tumbling down to his rear however Ross wasn't finished yet; he leaned down and yanked the grunting boy up by his black shirt and curled his fist 'round as it he glared into the one shut eyed, grit toothed Battler.

"You fucking _idiot!_" the green eyed Pokédex holder screamed angrily up at his rival's face. Steven winced but decided not to struggle for safety's sake, his arms gripping on his own rival's tough hands. "I _had_ the information source I _needed_ and you _screwed it up!_" the boy screamed again and Steven grunted as he retorted.

"I'm only trying to _help_ Ross; you could have _killed-_"

Ross spat in the boy's face, halting his speech immediately. "_Help?_ All you fucking _do_ is _fuck_ things up! Ever since we first met!"

Steven's face slowly wrinkled from a wincing scowl to frowning bewilderment. "No." he began in a pained sounding murmur. "No I'm-"

"You're fucking _pathetic_." Ross finished for him in a punctual sneering scowl as he held him up. "_That's_ what you are," he finished his own speech before grunting as he threw the boy down to the ground as if he were trash not even to be touched.

Anger flared in Steven like never before and he suddenly yanked himself back up to his feet and charged at the narrow eyed Ross with his pulled back fist, yelling as he did so. However before he could connect he was caught and by his rushing companion Kevin, gripping his chest and left arm from his presumed attack.

"Ngh!" Steven grunted out angrily as he struggled in vain to retaliate but the older boy behind was much too strong. Ross scowled on back, an arm on his hip as he did so.

"You two should keep more of an _eye_ on this one; he's too reckless," the green eyed Battler claimed in his narrow eyed scowl, talking to the holding Kevin and caught up Kimberley and yet his eyes were focused hard and deep on Steven's furious filled red ones.

"Believe me." Kevin grunted out in a chuckle as he grinned back. "I know," he admitted simply. However before the four could talk any more, they all – bar the curious Kevin – turned their heads to their pockets.

First Kimberley, then Ross and finally Steven.

The three Pokédex holders brought out their named devices themselves to find them all glowing a specific colour; Kimberley's a light blue, Ross' a deep green and Steven's a simple red. They all remained motionless as they exchanged surprised stares and Kevin blinked uncomfortably in the group before he let go of the frowning Steven, taking a step back.

"Freaky." he muttered under his breath and widened his eyes lightly as he did so.

The brief silence was cut however as Steven's name was called loudly through the hall, directing their attention to the hall behind them all. A red headed girl ran on down to follow them and was quickly spotted and named; the ever level headed Misty plus the rest of her group, the Administrator Bill, young woman Red and a young boy that ran with them, someone familiar that they couldn't place on immediately.

"Misty," Steven gasped out in a frown as he turned his head, gasping in and out air as he hunched his back from his fatigue. She caught him in a hug and he gasped in surprise. However just as soon as she did, she pulled back and issued a slap to his head and he yelled in the pain as she did so.

"Idiot!" she exclaimed as she scowled at him and folded her arms. Steven cringed, gripped and nursed the wound she managed to inflict. "You don't just _run_ _away_ from us and leave no note! Even if you _were_ helping Ross!" the former Gym Leader exclaimed at him angrily and Steven winced again as he turned his eyes away from her, rubbing his right arm awkwardly as he did so.

"She's right Steven." Ross' voice spoke up surprisingly calmly and the two turned their head 'round in their similar surprise. The green eyed Battler had by now pocketed his Pokédex Version I and folded his arms as he glared at the boy in response. "You could really _hurt_ someone," the boy glared on angrily as before but in a calm tone. Steven narrowed his own red eyes as he glared back.

"Um Ross?" Misty spoke up as she stepped ahead of her red eyed companion. The green eyed Battler turned his angry scowl on the watching Misty; she flinched but dared to continue. "We're all after to rescue your grandfather so why not work _with_ us?" she tried in an inviting smile as she took a wary step forward. Ross turned his glare back on the original author of it and Steven could only stare back, his own scowl lost however he turned his head in a way that told the green eyed Trainer he was serious. Everyone else around all exchanged looks before swiftly turning them to the watching Ross.

It seemed he was the only one still to agree to any terms.

"All right fine." he gave in, in a murmur of defeat, his head held low to his right lower side. Misty's and Steven's face brightened up. "But I'm not working with _him,_" the young boy finished in a narrow eyed scowl as he pointed an accusing finger at the blinking Steven. The red capped boy in question soon lost his smile and scowled on back.

"Well that's just fine 'cause I'm sick o' your attitude! You wanna go and sulk on your own; you do that!" Steven exclaimed over in a narrow eyed scowl.

"Steven!" Misty hissed angrily as she turned her head before swivelling it back in a contrasting smile. "No problem; we'll pair you with Tom!" the red head smiled again as she turned her head once more and pulled the blinking Gentleman himself into view. Steven turned in a surprised blink before grinning and giving him a fist bump. The young boy awkwardly chuckled back as he lightly fisted back.

"As long as he knows how to battle," Ross muttered as he scowled on at the uncomfortable Gentleman.

"He does," Bill, Misty and Steven all echoed simultaneously in drooped eyes. Tom chuckled nervously as he wiped the back of his head with his arm in a modest show.

"All right; we're going after my grandfather; Professor Samuel Oak. We're going to head to the top floors; they'll probably have him there," Ross intoned out as he narrowed his eyes this time in a calculative frown, regaining his old calm disposition. Tom nodded in a smile.

"Right with you old bean!" the Gentleman shot back confidently.

"We'll pair together and check the floors underneath the ground," Kevin smirked as he stepped forward, a grinning Kimberley at his side.

"I guess that means we're paired then." Misty frowned over at the similarly expressed Steven. "We'll check the floors all in between you guys," she volunteered out and Steven nodded wordlessly in agreement.

"B-But Ross." a meek voice interrupted in the operations' deciding. They all turned in curious blinks to find a wincing Elaine, stalking a wary step forward. The named Trainer himself turned his head in a wondering blink, his eyes narrowed lightly as he watched her carefully. "What about…" she began weakly however Ross finally decided to speak up for her.

Just about time too, Steven thought in a wince.

"You're better heading out of the building as fast as you can; there are too many dangers here and quite frankly you'll just get in my way," he stated out as quickly and as business like as ever. Elaine's face crumbled as if being hit by a mallet and she whined so quietly that no one else bar herself could hear her.

Steven knew though; he'd seen that expression somewhere before. He cringed and turned his head away from her; it seemed as if her dreams had been shattered. She turned on her heel and wordlessly as well as carelessly headed on down the fiery hall.

"Wait, Elaine!" Misty called in wide eyed surprise but her warning was lost to the young girl. When she disappeared down the corridor Misty turned a disapproving look on the narrow eyed Ross. "That was harsh,"

"Perhaps but not half as harsh as it could have been; Team Rocket would have literally killed her. You all know this," the spiky brown haired Battler shot back almost venomously as he narrowed his eyes and folded his arms. An uncomfortable silence pervaded the air around the group for a short while as they ingested their companion's words.

"Well… _I_ don't." Tom murmured in an awkward looking frown. Steven couldn't help but giggling childishly, eliciting his red head companion to punch his arm harshly. Ross turned a disgusted glare on his rival before turning his attention to the group as a whole.

"Bill and… you. What is your name?" he began in a business like frown as he pointed rudely over at the blinking and wordless Red. She smiled awkwardly back but thankfully Bill decided to speak up for her.

"It's Red,"

"Hm all right." the boy began in a frown. "Bill and Red; I want you two to follow Elaine and head on out of here; it's too dangerous for you to be-"

"Hey!" Steven exclaimed out with and scowled lightly as he stepped forward in his interruption. Misty sighed as she face palmed.

"Oh no…" she groaned as she sunk her face dejectedly.

Ross' frown soon switched to a scowl of his own and he rounded it on his red capped rival almost hatefully.

"Who are you to say what they can't and can't do? I don't remember _you_ being voted leader!" the boy accused in a narrow eyed point of his right index finger. Ross' scowl turned in a distaste looking one as he responded.

"_I'm_ smarter than _you_. Therefore we'll be listening to _me_," the Battler shot back so quietly Steven almost couldn't hear him. The green eyed scowling faced Trainer emphasised his punctuation with a lean forward and jab to his chest with his thumb.

"You're not smarter than I am," Steven growled back as dangerously as he could but with no less anger, his fists clenched tightly as they shook silently from side to side in all his pent up anger at his impudent rival.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Tom exclaimed as he leapt in between the two to play peacekeeper. "No one's smarter than anyone else okay?" he smiled between the two. Ross' and Steven's glares however kept their silent fury on one another's gaze. "Let's look for your grandfather first Ross; I'm sure it's much more important than a battle erupting between you two. Am I right?" the boy smiled in an awkward fashion, hoping to high heaven the two boys didn't leap over him and tear each other's throats out. Thankfully Ross seemed to listen to his peace loving partner and so turned his heel lightly with a light, lingering scowl.

"Yeah you're right. We'll settle this some other time." the green eyed boy claimed and Steven's red eyes glaring gaze, though silent, proved enough as a response. "All right, Bill and Red; you two can do whatever the hell you want, I'm not babysitting anyone. As for everyone else; are you all clear on what you have to do?" Ross spoke out aloud. They all nodded and gave out a war cry as they rose up their arms. "All right good; we all meet outside whether we find anything or not. Time not specified." the boy began and everyone else seemed reciprocal. Steven and Misty silently urged the watching Red and Bill to join them and they did so. "All right _go!_" Ross exclaimed out as he narrowed his eyes and set off running down the hall north. Tom followed in a surprised jog.

"Ross!" Steven suddenly called out of the blue and took a step forward. The boy himself growled but stopped sure enough, snapping his head 'round in impatient anger, giving his partner time to catch up. "If you see Giovanni… tell him I'm comin' for him." the red capped Trainer shot over in a narrow eyed, frowning glare. Ross scowled on back silently. "That goes for you too." he finished in a further narrow eyed glare, almost silent but Ross caught it and as he did he let out a derisive snort and low chuckle before turning and continuing on, his partner soon following.

Kevin and Kimberley – with surprising speed – shot to the group's right and turned a corner to their further right. Steven exchanged a nod with his old group and they all set off forward the same corridor as their previous companions however instead turned to their left and continued on for the stairs.

_**6**_

"Hey could you… slow down?" Tom called as loudly as he could, which wasn't very given his high fatigue. The Gentleman's clothes were only making it worse and his feet and chest ached with fire as he climbed them, two at the time. Ross was above him at least by a flight alone and showed no signs of fatigue either.

Why wasn't he so _tired?_

The disgruntled Battler stopped on his heel halfway and scowled distastefully down at the running Gentleman. "If I'd have known you were this slow I'd have paired up with that idiot troll," Ross claimed in his disgusted sneer. An offended faced Tom raised his head up to frown up, annoyed at the boy's words.

"I'll have you know I'm _quite_ the battler young man!" Tom wheezed up at his partner in a disgruntled turn of his own face as he gripped the railing for assistance.

"Tch!" Ross tutted out before turning sharply on the staircase and rushing on back up it.

"Oh lord." the Sinnoh bound Trainer muttered under his breath, gasping in air as he did so. "Okay…!" he managed out in a determined turn of his face before he grit his teeth and ran on up the staircase after his new partner.

It hurt bad.

The tired out Trainer leant against the wall painfully and gasped to high heaven for some oxygen; he was surprised that Ross could keep at it.

Looking for his grandfather he supposed gave him the strength to keep going.

By the time Tom recovered and went looking for his partner – as well as the green eyed boy's grandfather himself – Ross had already returned to find him walking down one of Silph's many corridors. Tom raised his head as he caught him poking his head out of a room. He couldn't see side on but it looked like one of those large rooms used for meetings. Ross ushered his temporary companion forward with a narrow eyed scowl and Tom blinked as he picked up the pace to join him.

Soon he turned the corner to his left to find just what he expected.

Bar a _meeting_ table it was one of the largest rooms he'd ever seen and most befitting a company such as Silph. Ahead of the two boys lay the overturned chair and rope of a possible interrogation.

It seemed they were too late.

"Damn." Ross murmured at Tom's side so quietly he almost couldn't hear him. "_Damn!_" he parroted, this time in a much louder voice; screamed to be more appropriate. He showed his anger with a flagrant turn of his methodical frown; he stormed forwards and kicked at the overturned chair as if for effect, sending it into the air. Tom winced as he watched and sighed as he turned his eyes over the room.

Seemed such a waste.

He walked on forwards to huge pane of windows ahead of them, the sun shining on through. The Sinnoh born Trainer frowned on down at the sparse streets of Saffron and was suddenly acutely aware of how alone they all were.

Pretty scary now when he grasped it.

"Hey." Ross' voice interrupted quietly. Tom turned his head in a curious blink. "We're gettin' out o' here; come on," he frowned annoyingly at the boy before gesturing to the exit. Tom sighed but followed regardless.

Then nearly jumped out of his skin when the double doors at his side slammed hard.

"Heebie-jeebies." Tom gasped out in a surprised widen and blink of his eyes as he trembled from his fear. Ross had already stood to attention, arm yanking out a Poké Ball from his belt for the current threat. A grinning man stood in the double doors' exit and entrance. He was familiar looking; the same man from outside on the charity event.

Mr. _Lyle?_

And yet…

"State your business," Ross scowled on forth, eyes narrowed to slits. The short black haired man smirked back as confidently as he had outside in Saffron Square.

"I was just about to ask you… Ross Oak," Mr. Lyle shot back as he stuck his hands into his pockets confidently. Ross' green eyes widened in surprise, clearly taken aback.

"You know my _name?_"

"You're one of Kanto's shining stars you know; putting _me_ to shame when I was still a child," the man began irrelevantly, smirking confidently as before. Ross' scowl returned to him and he glared hard. Tom watched his temporary partner and then their new companion carefully.

"Where is my grandfather?" he demanded.

"Oh he's safe… around." Lyle began in his curious grin. "I wouldn't worry too much about it Master Oak; you'll soon be joining him." the man spoke further and Ross' green eyes snapped open wide once more, this time in recognition, grunting as he did so. "Two Oaks to complete the set would be a _lovely_ addition to my new building of Silph," Lyle began to chuckle ominously.

"What is it Ross?" Tom frowned over at his partner.

"Giovanni…!" Ross gasped out in his widened eyes. Lyle's eyes slowly narrowed further and his grin gradually expanded with it.

"The Mafia Don?" Tom murmured as he turned his inquisitive eyes over to the grinning Lyle. "But… your friend Steven; he-"

"Ah so you know red eyes do you?" Lyle spoke over in his ominous chuckle. "How is he doing?"

Ross' scowl returned once more and he yelled as he yanked his arms forth towards his sides. "_Come on!_" he exclaimed suddenly and Tom flinched terribly at his side. "_I'll do what he _couldn't!"

Lyle's grin slowly – _ever _so slowly – fell and his eyes seemed a little more frightening though Ross didn't seem to care.

Either that or his sanity was close to its breaking point.

"_Give back my GRANDFATHER!_" Ross screamed angrily as he threw out his first Poké Ball angrily.

Lyle reached for a Poké Ball of his own…

_**7**_

"Oh noes! You dropped the _Card Key!_" Kevin burst out laughing as he finished his last Pokémon's attack; his Tauros rushed at the Rocket Grunt's last Golbat in a crashing Take Down. It felled the Poison and Flying dual Type rather easily and sent it flying and tumbling back. The Grunt barely had time to react as a grinning Kimberley ran forward to snatch the said fallen Card Key.

"Shit!" the Rocket Grunt muttered to himself in an angered scowl before he recalled back his fallen Golbat and turned to run. Kevin almost ordered his Tauros to chase the man but a quick hand on his own made him stop, courtesy of Kimberley.

"We got Oak to find remember?" the brown haired girl reinforced with a frown and Kevin gave a light, childish pout. She snickered. "Don't worry; we'll have time for owning them later. Come on," she grinned and turned, running on down the hall. Kevin blinked but gave his Tauros an appreciative smile before turning to follow his companion.

"Why are we in the middle of all this _anyway?_" Kevin called as he ran, slowly catching up with the sprinting Kimberley. "It's none of our business and well-"

"I'd like to return the favour that Steven did for me and if you have any decency you'd think about _that_ too," the Wanderer shot back in her calling, frowning as she did so. Kevin blinked as he ran and lowered his head lightly.

He _did_ risk his life to save her.

Kevin's grin slowly returned to life and he raised back up his head as he did so. "Well in that case Trollster Inc's on its way!" he grinned widely as he picked up his pace, soon eclipsing that of his blinking companion. She sighed and shook her head in a light smile as she watched him.

Soon the two had managed to reach the room for the Card Key slot they were seemingly looking for; not a very large one.

But quality beats quantity.

"They're all here!" Kimberley grinned as she ran on over to the table ahead of her. She shuffled through all sorts of documents on the table below her and Kevin blinked before walking on forward to join her. He watched between the papers and noticed specifications for the Master Ball prototype.

He nearly fell from the surprise.

"Quick, take 'em!" Kevin exclaimed in his hissing whisper, eyes running around the room as if for any prying eyes. Fortunately there was no one around it seemed and Kimberley of course did so. "Before-"

_SLAM!_

Kimberley and Kevin instantly snapped their heads 'round in a surprised gasp.

Two figures stood at the mechanical door they had just walked on through.

Kevin and Kimberley's fingers instantly went to their belt for their Poké Balls.

"We heard about you two." the figure on the right grinned over. He was a lean, tall man with hidden and strong abs beneath the green, sporty vest he wore. He also wore simple shorts with a large 'R' symbol on them. The man leaned against the wall and grinned on over before standing up straight and walking forward to reveal himself in the light. He wore sunglasses and the two intruders knew who he was almost instantly.

"You…!" Kimberley gasped out as she widened her blue eyes.

"Wait who's this?" Kevin whispered as he turned his head lightly but kept his eyes narrowed and dead centre on the grinning and sporty man. Before she could answer however the second figure stepped into the light. Unlike the first figure this one was a woman though she looked the same age as her compatriot. She wore thigh high long black boots, elbow length gloves, a black vest with the same big red 'R' insignia that her seeming partner had. And finally her long brown silky hair came down in waves, around her shoulders and back.

"That Olympic medallist." Kimberley growled out as she narrowed her eyes at the grinning, folded armed man. Her blue eyes snapped over to the smirking woman at his side. "And the Chef on T.V," she moaned out in a narrow eyed growl. Kevin's eyes snapped between the two.

"The name's _Rico_." the man spoke in an endearing grin as he chanced a few steps forward, pulling the wide eyed Kimberley's hand out to kiss its back. He grinned up at her as she yanked it back, eyes narrowed. Kevin of course turned a hateful glare on the man whom he had just only just met. "Rico Adams of the prestigious Adams family," the man introduced himself with a proud grin as he stood in front of the two, his arm horizontally positioned and the other edging his chest with his thumb. It seemed he was no less intimidated nor embarrassed at Kimberley's refusal however.

"Amanda." the woman spoke up as she placed a hand on her hip, turning her head almost curiously as she did so. Her eyes narrowed in a calculative smirk. "Not that _you_ deserve to know," she chuckled in her derisive tone and smirk. Kevin's eyes snapped on over to her and narrowed however he gasped in a widened turn of them when she winked at him.

He couldn't help a growing grin on his own face. The Renegade raised up a hand to gingerly wave at the suddenly laughing woman and he flinched in surprise. Kimberley glared at her partner silently while Amanda laughed like a banshee.

"You men are all the same." the Rocket Admin smirked over at the Renegade superiorly. Kevin blinked before scowling on forth lightly however her companion and partner didn't even seemed fazed by her comment; he grinned on towards the two. "Are you both ready?" she spoke, this time in a debilitating and serious frown. She casually fingered a Poké Ball from her own belt as she glared at the two challengers. "You'll never walk out of this building _alive,_" she warned in her deep and enmity filled scowl as she fingered her Poké Ball hard.

"We'll take it easy on ya." Rico smirked confidently as he slowly bent into position, fingering his own Poké Ball.

Kevin and Kimberley gulped almost simultaneously as they shook in place.

_**8**_

"Say that _again?_ In plain English," Steven called on behind his shoulder as the three ran on through the corridors of Silph Co.

"If I can find any working computers." Bill called back as he gasped in his run, following the energetic Red, Misty and Steven. "Then I can possibly get the video footage from Silph Company's cameras; once the ICL are backed into a corner they can't _refuse_ to go after Rocket!" the Administrator grinned in confidence.

"Hey that's a _great_ idea!" Misty smiled widely as she turned her head 'round midway in her run. They climbed some stairs as they did so.

"But what about the Rockets? They'll have probably just destroyed all the evidence; they're always quick to the punch," Steven shot back as they turned a corner and climbed some more stairs to search the middle floor.

"Fair point but they've only just started!" Bill exclaimed as they climbed quickly. He gasped in his fatigue but forced himself deeper. "I'm willing to bet they haven't reached the control room yet! It's a place we have to find!"

"Okay agreed then!" Steven gave in with a sigh as they finally reached the centre floor. "All right here's how this is gonna go; we're gonna split up on this floor and cover more ground but let's book it. Red you go with Misty. Bill you're with me," the red capped boy quickly explained as he lightly back handed the young man behind him on the chest in a show of manliness. Bill grinned and nodded down at his companion.

"We'll meet back up at the stairs here if we don't find anything," Misty offered out as she exchanged looks with her friends. They nodded in confirmation and for quickness' sake they agreed to move quickly.

"Right!" they all – bar the wordless Red – exclaimed simultaneously before turning in opposite directions as to their pairing, covering east and west.

With a turn, the two males found themselves in a large room indeed; spacious and full of computer desks. An almost uncomfortable silence spilled on the two as they stood in the doorway, examining.

"Looks like we found your grace land." Steven grinned quietly at the Administrator's side. Bill chuckled nervously before the two quickly recovered and burst forward. "So which one do you need? I'll keep an eye out for ya!" the red capped boy exclaimed out confidently as he ran beside the narrow eyed man. Bill grinned back.

"This one here!" he exclaimed back as he shot his hand up to point at the huge control panel computer on their top right. It sat with many interfaces on the podium's highest panel. Bill easily climbed the staircase and gasped as he recovered from his quickly gained fatigue. He recovered fast however and so started up the large computer's interface as he did so, positively drooling at the mouth. Steven blinked his red eyes as he craned his neck up to see the young man's work.

Bill easily moved around the computer's work and started up with a blank screen. At first he glided his hands across the monitors' screens, effectively clearing his way to get to the program he wished. He grinned as he double tapped an icon on the screen to open up a dialogue box of a pure black and blank screen bar a few lines of green text up the top. Bill grinned and even chuckled as he saw it.

"All right here goes…" the Administrator smirked as he pulled forth the keyboard below. Instantly his hands moved at a speed Steven had never seen before; his red eyes stayed widened as he watched, bedazzled. Bill noticed and turned his head in a blink. "Weren't you supposed to be watching for any enemy intruders?" he asked simply as he looked at the boy with a curious blink. Steven blinked on back before shaking his head in a wince and nodding.

"Sorry." he apologised simply before leaping on down the staircase and running towards the exit of the room. Red eyes narrowed, he placed himself in the middle and threw out his Blastoise in an appropriate stance as before.

This should be easy enough, he thought.

Whenever he seen any Rocket Grunts that dared to go for him – or Bill it seemed – Steven easily dispatched their Pokémon as well as them themselves; usually with water from his Blastoise's cannons. However as easy as it seemed, word must have somehow gotten 'round on their intentions for the forces grew in quality.

And in quantity.

"Biiill!" Steven called out as he turned his head halfway in a wide eyed expression, scowling lightly, eyes still on the doorway and for any more enemies on the way. "You better be finished that computer thing quick!"

"Patience!" the Administrator's call returned and Steven growled lightly.

"Not an option!"

Never more was a saying truer than that statement he returned fire with when he caught sight of the running Rick. His red eyes widened and he gasped, his heart beat stopping as he froze in place.

_Please don't, please don't, please don't…_

Rick suddenly stopped midway in his run, narrowed eyes and all as if he had just forgotten something. Steven's eyes further widened and his breath caught in his throat as he watched on silently, praying as he did so.

Rick, ever so slowly, turned his head to his left and his scowl grew worse as he did so.

"No." Steven whispered as he screamed at his legs to move but his body didn't seem to listen.

The scowling Rick slowly gained a grin in place however as he registered the boy's own horror and so he slowly began advancing, eyes set on his prize. His short black hair bounced in the wind as he walked, eyes narrowed as he did so.

"Hydro Pump!" Steven exclaimed out in growing desperation. The Blastoise ahead of him narrowed its eyes before pushing back in its recoiling blast of water. The watching Rick only smirked as he went to his belt, presumably for a Poké Ball. He raised it in front of his person and smirked knowingly as he did so, pointed forward at Steven as if it were a weapon of some kind. Steven gritted his teeth as he watched, ever hopeful that the man would be blasted away.

"Steven? Everything all right down there?" Bill's voice called though Steven did not answer.

His narrowed, crimson eyes were set tight on his newest obstacle.

The water dissolved away as before but this time the grinning Rick – and two new presences – reappeared. A Pokémon; a Primeape in front of Rick raising a Protect shield and a frowning, narrow eyed young man at his side.

Where did _he_ come from?

"_Wait."_ Steven thought in gasping, narrowed eyes. _"He looks familiar."_ the boy thought to himself in growing panic as he tried to place the young man ahead of him. Suddenly he remembered; the man that accompanied him in his rescue attempt near Kanto's Cycling Road.

Ben was it?

But where did he _come_ from? Lying in ambush?

Like it matters!

"Steven!" Bill called out. "What's going on?" the Administrator's voice continued in a growing sense of worry.

"We're in trouble!" Steven called back as he narrowed his red eyes at the quietly approaching duo and the Primeape. "Serious trouble," he murmured quietly and more to himself as he did so.

"Well, well, well…" Rick began as he came within a few paces of the narrow eyed boy. He grinned as he placed a hand on his hip. "You're not supposed to _be_ in here you know," he chided in his all knowing grin.

"Oh and you two are total frickin' angels huh," Steven managed out in his narrow eyed scowl, taking a step back along with his similar expressed Blastoise. He tried his best to sound quietly angry and intimidating but it came out as shaky and worried.

Damn!

Rick chuckled. "Such a _strong_ little boy." the man smirked as he watched silently in his death glare.

"Give up and we'll let you go free," Ben spoke over suddenly in his own determined frown over at the blinking Steven.

"Wha-" the red capped boy managed out. Even his partner was surprised it seemed.

"Bullshit!" Rick hissed back over angrily as he scowled, head turned lowly as he did so. Ben snapped his own head 'round and failed to look intimidated at all. "I been waitin' for an outlet; we _use_ this,"

"You want to explain to the Don how you killed the one he told _the entire_ organisation _not_ to?" Ben shot back in a venomous tone, eyes narrowed as he did so.

He seemed stronger all of a sudden; even _Rick_ seemed to back off, if only for a few moments.

"Tch." the disgruntled Grunt grunted out quietly but angrily. "Fine." he conceded before turning his head back in a lighter grin than before. "But that doesn't mean we can't have some _fun,_" he finished out in his grin ominously.

Steven's fear returned and he narrowed his red eyes as he stood his ground. Ben, sure enough threw out a Poké Ball of his own; a Chansey.

Two against one.

Not good.

"You ready… kid?" Rick cooed on over in his grin, lapping up the fear in Steven's red eyes like it was addictive candy.

If these guys had anymore Pokémon then…

Before his mind could delve any further however a voice exclaimed outwards.

"Wake up Slap!"

Everyone stopped moving but Ben managed to catch the movement behind him and at his side as he did so. However it wasn't in enough time and the two Trainers could only watch as a Poliwhirl leapt into the scene and double slapped the wide eyed team of Pokémon lightly but it seemed to do some damage for they both grunted in pain as they skid. Meanwhile the attacking Pokémon skidded into the fray and landed with two humans; two red heads. Steven recognised them instantly.

"Misty!" he gasped out in wide eyed surprise. The young woman at her and her Poliwhirl's side was Red of course. Misty turned her light scowl into a grin however as she turned to face the boy, rising up her clenched fist for an obvious fist bump. Steven was still too dumbstruck to do anything for a while but soon enough he shook his head in his surprise and grinned as he returned the favour. "Thank you." he mouthed in his smile. She only smiled back.

"So fuckin' what." Rick spoke in suddenly and the two Battlers snapped their heads over in simultaneous frowns. "Just means you're both gonna go down _harder_," the Rocket Grunt growled out slowly as he scowled lowly, grinning lightly as he did so.

As if sensing each other's rise in confidence however they simultaneously stood apart and gestured their arms toward themselves, positioning them at their side. "Come at us!" they grinned out at almost the exact same time. Red seemed to note the battlefield changes and cringed but she turned to join her companion Bill.

"All right." Rick murmured out as he lost his grin and gained a deeper scowl in its place. "Then I'll kill the _both_ of ya! Come on!" the livid Grunt yelled out angrily as he sent his own arms to his sides.

_**9**_

Rico smirked as he yanked off his sunglasses before throwing them away to the winds and setting his feet apart to battle. His partner merely continued her own smirk and folded her arms side on as she glared at their two opponents whom stood ready with their own Poké Balls. A silence had pervaded on them earlier but it seemed now they were finally ready to battle.

Amanda smirked silently on as she sent out her first Pokémon; a similar expressed Vaporeon whereas the grinning Rico sent out his own first with a raucous kind of laughter. Nevertheless a Kabutops stood in its daunting glare, seemingly just itching to attack its opponent. Kimberley's blue eyes narrowed at the two as she quickly thought up strategies to deal with it.

The best she could come up with was the one Pokémon she had that could sufficiently deal and take damage and so she narrowed her eyes as she threw out her first Poké Ball.

_BOM!_

An absent minded Slowbro stood and moaned its own name out as it grinned obliviously, mouth hanging open.

"So that's what you're goin' for huh…" Kevin murmured as he winked and grinned, catching on almost instantly. He threw out his own first Poké Ball to reveal a computer like Pokémon; a levitating Porygon. The two Rocket Admins watched on in light surprise however they quickly regained their confident grins.

"You think you can beat us with _that?_" Amanda grinned over and even began chuckling as she did so.

"Get the dance started for us will ya?" Rico smirked as he set his feet apart once more to ready himself.

"Gladly; Vaporeon!" the woman called out and the Water Type stood to attention, its ears perking up. "Rain Dance!" she ordered out. Sure enough the weakened and broken roof above them gave way to the heavy rain that Amanda's Vaporeon had called.

"Heh, heh; excellent." Rico smirked as the heavy rain came down on the group of four humans and Pokémon alike. He pointed forward with his index finger in his open smirk. "Aqua Jet that pussy!" he laughed out in all his glee as he pointed at the blank faced Porygon. With the higher priority his Kabutops had with that particular move, it went first. The – by now – insanely fast Pokémon rocketed forth into the glitch Pokémon before back flipping in recovery, landing back at its partner's side. The Porygon meanwhile recoiled in a levitating back flip of its own from the pain of the attack, however it seemed to recover a little amount of hit points with its held item; a Leftovers.

"Now Kevin!" Kimberley exclaimed and the Rockets gasped in narrowed eyes as to what their opponents were planning.

The Renegade smirked in knowing of their victory and pointed forth at the Vaporeon. "Conversion!" he ordered out. The Porygon traced an invisible beam to the naked eye and it began to bleep out noises that sounded like a modem or a router.

"What the-" Rico blinked out in wonder as he watched the bizarre Normal Type flash around in its levitating place. Even his hanger on Amanda looked on in silent wonder, eyes narrowed hard at the strangely bleeping Pokémon.

"What did it do?" she whispered toward her comrade who in turn could only shrug in a wondering blink of his own.

"Beats me," he admitted back in his confused stare.

"Hmph. Like it matters…" Amanda began in her folded armed stare. "Vaporeon! Finish this farce with Surf!" she ordered out and the smiling, catlike Pokémon did so; it raised up its ears and long tail into the air, glowing as it did so. And as it did a blue wave of water itself materialised from the Vaporeon's power behind itself, set straight for the on watching opponents. It would have struck her own comrade however he quickly though luckily scrambled in a Protect. He glowered on at Amanda angrily for seemingly not going through the battle plan with him; she ignored him regardless and smirked on unknowingly.

Kevin mixed a grin with his companion as the Surf attack struck and though it seemed their main target was Kevin's Porygon, the strange computerised Pokémon seemed barely affected by the once daunting move.

"_What?_" Amanda screeched angrily and even uncrossed her arms as she did so, taking a step forward.

"You've done even worse than you _think_." Kimberley answered back in a growing chuckle. Amanda's surprised scowl drew worse and she growled on as she listened. "I had my Slowbro use Skill Swap with your Vaporeon," she claimed and Amanda's eyebrows rose as she listened.

"So what? What does _that _cha-" she began angrily and impatiently however in mid sentence she gaped and gasped.

"What? What?" Rico exclaimed in growing annoyance as he swivelled his head 'round. Amanda's face slowly turned from gape mouthed shock, to deep and scowling hatred.

"You little _bitch_," she venomously responded, eyes narrowed to slits. Kimberley only responded with a grinning smirk.

"I just battle 'em how I see 'em!" the brown haired Battler smirked back at her scowling opponent.

"What? I don't get it!" Rico screamed in his growing anger and annoyance at being the last to know.

Kimberley smirked as she joined her legs closer together, standing up straight as she raised her head and placed a hand on her hip. "While Kevin used his Porygon's Conversion to change its type from Normal Type to _your_ last attack…" she began as she fingered the blinking medallist in question. "I had my Vaporeon use Skill Swap to mix its Ability Oblivious with your friend's Vaporeon's Water Absorb Ability thus making Water Type attacks immune." she thus explained in her confident grin before turning it into a low smirk, blue eyes lightly narrowed. "You don't stand a _chance_," she said lowly in her calculative smirk. Kevin laughed on as he listened.

"She got the brains for it!" he intoned in his trollish grin as he gave the watching and furious pair a double dose of his finger guns.

"_Bullshit! You both _suck!" Rico suddenly bellowed angrily, his hands clenched together tight and raised to his chest level.

Kevin snorted in response as he grinned, imitating his companion's own pose. "Real smart tough guy," he shot back and even ran a thumb across his nose, as if for effect. Rico watched and the veins near gave way to exploding in his neck.

"Ohhh _fuck this!_" the belligerent Team Rocket Commander screeched out angrily as he waved a furious finger at his smirking opponent's Porygon. "Wring _Out!_" he screamed and the Water and Rock Dual Type rushed forward, eyes narrowed. Using its superior speed, it reached its computerised opponent in no time and so ran its sickles in a circle like motion against the wide eyed Porygon, not sending it very far from the Special inducing attack. Rico's furious eyes widened in pure anger this time. "Why…" he murmured in his wide eyed dark glare.

"With my Porygon's low HP, all you did was tiny damage!" Kevin finished in a back benching guffaw, eyes shut hard as he gripped his stomach from the ferocity of the laughter. He even slapped his knee in his show of joy, further acerbating the Rocket Commander. "Do you know _anything_ about battling?" the young man whooped in his grin as he pointed a finger at the man derisively. Rico's glare only grew worse _(if that were even possible)_ and his teeth grinded together hard as they were grit.

"Fuck you, ya little shit!" the once seemingly calm and collected Rico screamed back, sticking an accusing finger at the grinning Kevin angrily. "I'm a _medallist!_ I'm a fucking _athlete!_" he exclaimed in his scowl as he gave show to his own magnificence. "What have _you_ got? You're a pair of fuckin' _rats!_ That's all y'are!" the man finished in a bout of his own laughter, seemingly turning the table on the two opponents. Even the silent but watching and previously furious Amanda joined him in a chuckle. Kevin lost his grin and exchanged a frown with the watching Kimberley before they slowly regained their grin once more.

"True." Kimberley spoke as she turned back her head. "But we have people we can trust, people we can be proud to call our 'friends'," the young girl spoke over in an honest smile. Rico's own grin – as well as his comrade's – faded from view and instead a frowning blink replaced it.

"Say what?" he asked in a clueless tone.

"Do you mean that little red eyed _fool_ that Giovanni has his sights set on?" Amanda sneered on over as she rejoined her folding arms; a defence mechanism it would seem.

"_And_ more," Kevin added in his grin.

"I bet _that's_ a foreign concept to you isn't it Amanda?" Kimberley asked in her own grin as she raised a brown eyebrow and turned her head as she did so. Amanda's sneer was quickly lost to her and she gained in place of it, a terrible frown. "With all the lies and blood and betrayal in Team Rocket I'm sure you can't quite possibly understand what true trust really-" the grinning girl explained in her knowing grin however before she could finish, a silver glint appeared in the air and Kimberley knew what it was instantly. However with little to no time to evade it she watched on in horror as it flew for her. Thankfully though the seemingly slow witted Slowbro ahead of her snapped up its arm to catch the knife in mid air, grinning stupidly at its opponent as it did so, as if it were _trolling_ the grit toothed and angry Amanda. "Thanks Hermit." Kimberley gasped out in a light smile. The Psychic and Water dual Type turned its head to smile openly at its thankful master.

"_Don't_ pretend to know how my own life works." the perturbed Rocket Commander growled on over quietly though dangerously so. "You little _rat_,"

"Let's just finish this; my trolling's getting boring. Tech, use the Solarbeam you've been charging on his Kabutops," Kevin yawned out as he waved off the two opponents. Once again the two Commanders were taken off guard and the Porygon below him narrowed its eyes. Bleeping like a computer once more it blasted forth a light, green beam of pure Special Attack power at the wide eyed Rico's Kabutops.

"N-No!" he exclaimed in pure worry, at least knowing of his Kabutops' greatest weakness. As likely the Kabutops itself was sent careering back, crashing into the card key opening door behind it. The attack continued and in its ferocity, it even managed to _embed_ the poor Pokémon into the door.

It fainted needless to say.

"You stupid cunt!" Amanda exclaimed over at the wide eyed Rico. He merely stood in his stare, transfixed on his loss it would seem. The two Commanders were so certain of their win that they had only brought one Pokémon each.

Big mistake.

"Hermit let's go for a Grass Knot!" Kimberley grinned over and the Slowbro nodded in its grin as it slammed its fists on the ground hard. Instantly vines appeared underfoot of the wide eyed Vaporeon and easily took it down in a tripping up. Amanda's eyes snapped over and she gasped as she watched the Supereffective attack take effect; her Vaporeon fell…

But it didn't seem to be getting back up.

"You're…" she began in shock eyed surprise. "Joking…" she finished simply. Kimberley and Kevin smirked as they high fived each other from their win.

"We can't… can't win…" Rico murmured to himself as he stood in his wide eyed fear, watching the yawning Kevin with something close to awe.

"Yeah?" Amanda growled as she recalled her fainted Vaporeon, eyes narrowed as she pulled out one more Poké Ball. Kevin and Kimberley's eyes lit up as they saw it, lightly surprised to see another sphere in hand. "Just _watch_ 'em lose," she growled lowly before grunting as she threw forth the Poké Ball; a specially designed one with a yellow and black carving.

"An Ultra Ball?" Kimberley murmured in narrowed eyes as she watched it explode.

_BOM!_

What awaited them, they did not expect; they _could_ not expect.

Even in the rain a shining and burning Pokémon stood; huge and proud. A presumed Flying Type it slowly flapped its fiery blessed wings as it narrowed its burning crimson eyes down at the watching and wide eyed pair. Amanda burst into laughter.

"What's that? Where's the confidence from before? Come on show me!" the woman laughed madly as she pointed at the wide eyed double derisively. The once horrified Rico slowly though hesitantly joined with the laughing Amanda, chuckling nervously as he did so.

"Kimberley what _is_ that?" Kevin whispered over as he narrowed his eyes up at the huge and magnificent Pokémon. Kimberley's own eyes narrowed as she went into her bag at her side.

"Not sure but we're about to find out…" she murmured and brought on out her stolen Pokédex.

_#146 Moltres_

_Classification: Flame Pokémon_

_A Legendary Bird Pokémon. As it flaps its flaming wings even the night sky will turn red._

Kimberley gasped as she read its entry then snapped her head up to gaze and gawp at the light flapping and now named Moltres towering above them.

"What? What is it?" Kevin whispered in a frown as he turned his head. Kimberley winced but turned her head slowly as she did so.

"This Pokémon isn't supposed to _exist,_" she answered simply in her own whisper. Kevin's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Moltres!" Amanda yelled out suddenly and the pair gasped as their heads swivelled 'round. "Crush them!" she laughed maniacally as she placed her two arms at her side, inviting and grinning as she did so. The flaming bird Pokémon narrowed its eyes at the two below it…

_**10**_

"Evasion and use Wake Up Slap on Chansey!" Misty exclaimed. Her Poliwhirl, sure enough, evaded the angry Primeape's Cross Chop attack and shot forward to strike the wide eyed Normal Type in question. Successfully the attack landed and the Chansey squealed as it was sent tumbling on its back, rolling like an egg as it did so; fainted. "All right!" the former Gym Leader grinned as she pumped a confident fist.

"Oblivion; Zen Headbutt!" Steven shot over as he narrowed his crimson eyes, set in his battle stance that his old teacher Brinca had taught him. His Blastoise – though in a similar stance – nodded and shot forth with surprising speed. Charging purple glowing Psychic Type energy in its head it managed to catch the stumbling Primeape's body in a grab, thereby alerting its Trainer.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, a wide eyed and angry as ever Rick.

"_Attaaaaack!_" Steven exclaimed forth and the Blastoise gladly drove its head into its enemy of its charged attack. The Primeape's eyes widened and it screeched as it was also sent flying and tumbling, rolling across the floor from its pain.

"Fuck!" Rick squawked angrily as he watched his Fighting Type Pokémon roll. "Get up ya shit!" he yelled down at the shaking Primeape. It slowly and shakily tried to raise itself but sure enough it fell back down grunting to the floor, its eyes crossed out.

"Yes!" Steven grinned as he went out of his fighting stance to pump his fist confidently and along with his companion, he grinned as he exchanged a fist bump with his red haired friend.

Ben watched on in sombre silence and even bent down to pet his fallen Chansey before recalling it. However his compatriot Rick was a different story.

"This is _bullshit!_" the former gang leader screamed out as he furiously kicked the fallen Primeape, sending it tumbling and rolling away from him in his show of rage. He stood in a hunched, angry growling scowl as he finished, eyes snapping over to the watching and wide eyed pair of Trainers. "What are _you_ pair of shits lookin' at?" he growled lowly and quietly before silently bringing out his Primeape's Poké Ball and recalling it.

"Jesus," Misty murmured as she watched, green eyes widened lightly.

"Mm," Steven agreed quietly, his own red eyes narrowed. He wasn't surprised given how long – which wasn't very – he knew Richard Scott.

An icy cold, eternally angry young man.

"You kids got somethin' to say? Huh?" Rick whispered on over, eyes narrowed dangerously. Misty stood in a frightened wince and so Steven took up the mantle, his newfound courage on display.

"Let's just finish this! The quicker you lose the quicker we can all get outta here," the red capped boy shot back as he frowned determinedly. Rick's eyes twitched as he listened.

"We may finish this. We may even lose…" he began quietly and Steven raised a brown eyebrow. "But you ain't leavin'; I ain't finished with you two, not by a _damn_ sight," he finished in a dangerous whisper, eyes narrowed to slits. Misty couldn't help herself in shivering from fear and Steven growled lowly as he narrowed his own eyes, going back into a fighting stance.

"Then come at us." he shot back almost as quietly as he did. The boy even went back into the stance that Brinca taught him in a show of his quiet confidence. "Come try us," he simply responded. Just as always he could tell he could win, just by the sound waves in his opponent's voice.

They would win this.

Rick's scowl slowly snaked into a grin and he chuckled lightly before slowly – _ever_ so slowly – turning it into a full blown maniacal laugh. Misty, Steven and even his comrade Ben looked perplexed; the Rocket Grunt watched on over with a raised eyebrow. However when he saw the look in his comrade's face he gasped in widened eyes.

"No! Rick!" he implored and bounded on over to grab a hold of the man's arm. The Grunt in question growled and in suddenly gained anger turned to slap the wide eyed meek man, sending him grunting and tumbling to the ground face down. Rick gave the man a quiet glare before turning his attention back to his opponents in a strong grin.

"You're both going to _shut_ the _fuck_ up and listen to what I say," the man intoned over quietly, almost silently. Steven narrowed his red eyes in defiance.

"Yeah, why's that?"

Rick's grin grew even bigger. "Because of _this!_" he finished in a sudden exclamation before he vaulted forth his next Poké Ball.

_BOM!_

A huge and majestic sight blinded their very eyes and Steven had to turn his eyes shut and head away from the sight however he was quickly brought back to life again by the shots of electricity across the floor.

"Agh!" he exclaimed from the light shock he received.

"S-Steven!" Misty gasped out and the boy snapped his head 'round to catch his companion's face even amidst the huge light that the new enemy Pokémon gave off.

"What?" Steven called above the bounding agitation. Misty merely pointed shakily above the two in a frightened look of her usually seriously confident eyes. Steven blinked and with resolve against the light he turned his head to trace her finger.

His mouth hung open.

He couldn't even believe it.

"Steven!" Misty's voice called above the din once more. "Scan it!" she exclaimed and the world finally returned to the flabbergasted boy. He scrambled in his red and white jacket to find his Pokédex Version I. He shakily scanned the wing flapping creature to discover its name and description.

_#145 Zapdos_

_Classification: Electric Pokémon_

_One of the legendary bird Pokémon. While it is flying, it makes crackling and snapping sounds._

"Zapdos." he gasped aloud in widened, red eyes. He turned his amazed and flabbergasted gaze up to the narrow eyed creature in question. It was a large and intimidating bird Pokémon with huge, pointed wings of a yellowy colour that stood out at both sides as if in a sign of demanding respect. It raised its long and orangey beak proudly as well as derisively, its electric eyes narrowed. Lightning travelled across the ground near it as well as around it; in the air and even on its body.

It seemed to _pulse_ with power.

"Gagh!" Steven gasped out in pain as he fell to one knee, eyes narrowed. The air suddenly began to feel heavy and dense. He gasped continually as he tried to draw in more oxygen though it seemed fruitless. The boy turned his head to find his companion Misty in a similar predicament. Rick stood on the opposite side and laughed to his heart's content.

"Look at ya now! Ya can't stop me!" he exclaimed in his delighted grin.

Steven growled and shakily rose himself defiantly. "We _will;_ I _know_ we will," the red eyed boy growled on back, eyes narrowed as he began to sweat from the exertion. Rick burst out laughing again.

"Just _look_ at you kid! You can barely fight the _air_ let alone what _I_ have planned!" he exclaimed in all his delight. "Zapdos!" Rick began out in his grin before darting a finger forward, eyes widened in his grin. "_CRUSH THEM!_" he screamed in his mad grin. The Lightning Bird finally stirred to action though slowly; it flapped its wings once and Steven was nearly blown off his feet. His Blastoise grunted as it was sent a little ways back, one eye shut in the effort. Misty and her Poliwhirl suffered the same kind of fate it seemed.

The Zapdos narrowed its eyes as it lifted itself into the air and flew on forward…

_**11**_

Kevin yelled as he was sent flying back from the sheer force of the Moltres' wings; they flapped and he flew back, crashing into the wall behind him. Kimberley gasped continually for breath as she sweated heavily in place, still standing from Moltres' previous blasts of wind and fire.

The air was feeling much heavier when the Moltres had first showed itself and the oxygen around them had grown tight and difficult to take in. Even with the top of the roof blown off they were finding it difficult to breathe and as if to add more to their misery the air had also grown incessantly hot and humid, like they were in a desert. It only worsened their conditions.

Her Slowbro, though still going strong, seemed to be doing little to no damage at all to the monstrous Moltres. Whenever Kimberley would order in a Rain Dance for some support, Amanda would have the Moltres – or even her once fearful companion Rico – order in a Sunny Day for her and with Kevin being unable to lend a hand in counterattack or even as support she was left on her own against two opponents.

It may as well have just been the Moltres though.

"And now to finish your _pathetic_ Slowbro." Amanda sneered as she folded her arms in a side on position. Kimberley narrowed her blue eyes in a light scowl as she watched, it was her enemy's turn and she failed to get another Rain Dance in. "Solarbeam," the Rocket Admin spoke as she smirked a little longer. Rico chuckled along with her, folding his own arms as he did so. Kimberley's eyes widened in a gasp of pure surprise.

"Solarbeam?" she gasped out but by the time she even realised it was too late to react. The Moltres ahead of her shut its eyes and raised up its head to the sky, lightly flapping its wings as it did so. Even with the Light Screen she had ordered her Slowbro to use she cringed as she watched the huge beam of Grass Type energy rocket down and crash upon her Slowbro's head.

The ground shook fiercely from the attack and Kimberley – this time – was sent back from the attack's ferocity, her arms crossed together for some kind of defence. Luckily however she was caught by the scowling faced Kevin behind her. He easily placed her to his right and with amazing speed and ferocity he grunted as he vaulted forth a Poké Ball from his belt.

A scowling faced Tauros rushed out of the exploding sphere, eyes narrowed on its target. Without even being told, the Wild Bull Pokémon rose up its head and stuck its hooves into the ground strongly as it stopped moving all of a sudden. Amanda blinked at its strange movements and couldn't see the Rock Slide on her way; the rocks fell from the broken roof above them, crashing into the screaming Moltres' body.

_This_ time it seemed to do damage.

Kevin gasped as he fell to one of his knees, grinning lightly as he did so. "Didn't… see that coming… did you?" he gasped out in his confident grin and Amanda's scowl returned as before.

It was the first time the supposed 'Legendary' Pokémon Moltres seemed like an everyday Pokémon that could be beaten.

However Amanda rid the two of that illusion in a heart beat with a wave of her hand. "Heat Wave! _Burn_ them!" the Admin scowled forward. The Moltres raised its head for a few seconds before snapping it back down. In a combination of the dense, heavy air as well as the Sunny Day she had prepared, Amanda's Moltres cut the chances of their opponent winning by at least half; the Heat Wave attack it used was coating the very air and it shot forward with an incredible ferocity that could not be ignored.

Kevin's eyes widened and he and his Tauros were once again sent flying back, this time crashing so hard into the wall behind them that they both fell unconscious. Kimberley reached out for her companion in an attempt to save him but it was fruitless. She growled lightly as she turned her head shakily to face the screeching Moltres.

"Look at you." Amanda began in a derisive smirk and sneer as the Moltres finished its proud war cry. Kimberley breathed for her very life, sweat falling off her scalp at the dozen, calling back her fallen Slowbro as she did so. "You can't even fight through Moltres' _Pressure_ let alone Moltres _itself,_" the Admin smirked confidently.

"G-Give up…" Kimberley began in a gulping, narrow of her eyes, scowling as she did so. "On me giving up," she finished in an almost chuckling response, grinning lightly as she did so. Amanda's face fell almost instantly as she recognised the very response given.

"Don Giovanni was right." she claimed in a light murmur and suspicious narrow of her eyes. "He's had an effect on you hasn't he?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me you ugly little witch." Amanda sneered in a light scowl. "That red eyed fool; the one with the Blastoise,"

Kimberley laughed lightly. "You could… say that," she gasped out in her struggle for air.

Amanda's smirk was regained though only slightly. "Well no worries; Richard is probably dealing with him as we speak in the best way he knows how," she spoke over and Kimberley's eyebrows rose in curiosity.

Rico at Amanda's side grinned as he drew his thumb across his neck in an elaborate show, making a cutting noise with his mouth as he did so.

The brown haired Battler's blue eyes widened. "No!" she exclaimed and Amanda laughed.

"What do _you_ care? You and your little friend left him at Don Giovanni's mercy. You abandoned him like he was a play toy; broken and far outlived its purpose," she smirked as she spoke, perhaps in the delight of cutting through to her opponent's psyche.

"N-No…" Kimberley moaned as she lowered her head away from her opponent and gripping it with both arms she fell to one knee, the air feeling much worse all of a sudden.

Amanda's grin grew. "There's no need to feel ashamed; you're just a human. People like Red Eyes are the idiots that think they're doing the 'right' thing by helping people. All _you_ two did was show him reason not to bother," she chuckled and Kimberley moaned again, shutting her eyes this time as the sweat came on but this time for a different reason.

"No!" she exclaimed. Amanda laughed. "I-I won't… b-believe…" she began defiantly however even her _own_ conviction began to bleed away from her and her face cringed continually as she stared down at the ground, suddenly finding it very interesting.

"That's right." the smug Rocket Admin smirked on over superiorly as she stood. "You're just like all the _others;_ a selfish, self preserving _fucker_ of a human." she finished in a whisper, scowling lightly as she did so. Kimberley slowly raised her head in a shocked, wide eyed stare as she did so. Amanda's grin returned to her as she saw the effect given and leaned her head in an inch. "If anything… _we're_ better than _you_ pieces of garbage are." she stated simply in her grin with as much confidence as before. She saw the light tears falling from her opponent's face and knew the match was won. "Tch! I'm almost disappointed in you; almost." she grinned away. "Moltres? Finish the job, will you?"

The Fire and Flying dual Type screeched as it fired off another of its blasting Heat Wave attacks. Kimberley knelt at her spot and with her teary blue eyes widened, she could do nothing to react in time to neither evade nor prevent her opponent's attack. However before she was incinerated by the blast of fire, her companion once again intervened and threw in a Tentacruel with an explosive blast of its Poké Ball. The jellyfish Pokémon quickly brought out a wall of light; a Protect move to block against the incinerating Heat Wave.

Kimberley turned her head in a gasp to find the similarly gasping Kevin standing shakily in an angry scowl, directing it with full hatred at their current opponents.

"K-K-Kimberley." he managed out in his gasping scowl. The air grew worse over time; it was like a poison it seemed. "We can't… give up now; don't listen to them!" he exclaimed as he turned his sweaty head over to hers. She widened her eyes before shaking it and reasserting herself she stood to rejoin her companion once more. Amanda noticed and with a miffed narrow of her eyes she spoke.

"You two should be begging for mercy and yet you keep _standing?_ Why don't you just give up? You _know_ this is _far_ out of your reach," the Admin claimed in her light smirk.

"We're not lettin' 'em down; either of 'em," Kevin gasped back over as he scowled and Amanda raised a brown eyebrow.

She chuckled. "Well I suppose you'll be forced to now won't you? Moltres? Be a dear." she grinned in her order. The Legendary Bird Pokémon acceded of course and screeched as it gave forth to one more Heat Wave. Even with his Tentacruel's high Special Defence and the extra resistance to Fire Types, Kevin was _sure_ it was strong enough, especially under Sunny Day, to take out any member of his team.

He raised up his arms to defend _himself_ from the blast of fiery breath; it sent him back a few yards across the ground and he grunted as it did so.

"N-Now!" he gasped out muffled before yanking his arms away as the danger passed. His Tentacruel fainted but he still seemed set. Amanda rose an eyebrow in the air as she watched.

"What _now_ can you possibly be-" she began in a chuckling and derisive, if but humorous laugh however she wasn't laughing for long as a sight above her made her snap her head upwards. A narrow eyed Machamp dropped from the ceiling, carrying a Pokémon in two of its huge arms. The bottom two were charging a deep brass brown and Amanda gasped as she only just noticed. "What are you-?" she exclaimed out but even _she_ couldn't guess at what was being planned.

"_STOOOOONE EEEEEEDGE!_" Kevin screamed out of his lungs as loud as he could, just so his Machamp could hear, the battle at the height in his heart. Sure enough, the brawny Fighting Type used its bottom arms to yank up the rocks underneath the wide eyed Moltres. They instantly ravaged the poor bird Pokémon and it screeched with the divine pain it received. Amanda was flabbergasted at her opponent's strategy and could not even scream in anger.

"Did that do it?" Kevin gasped out as he grunted and fell to one knee once again, one of his hands clenched tightly into a fist. His teeth grit and his heart pounded as he watched the outcome. The Moltres seemed to recover even as badly as it was damaged. "Damn!" he exclaimed.

"Not yet!" Kimberley shot out as she raised herself and pointed forward. "Finish it; _Crush Claw!_" the brown haired Battler exclaimed out. Kevin's Machamp grinned as it threw down the sandy haired Pokémon it held in its top two arms; a Sandslash. For good measure the strongly defended Pokémon leaped on down and gave the wide eyed Moltres another attack; it slashed its claws down across the Pokémon's body and sent it back a few steps. The Sandslash recovered with a forward roll as it landed, the Machamp behind it simply pounding its feet into the ground.

"And now?" Kevin gasped out once more as he narrowed his brown eyes, heart pounding once as before. Kimberley couldn't help but feel the same; everything was riding on this.

She couldn't believe she was risking her life to be here.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the Moltres gave out one last screech of pain before pounding to the ground in a huge kick up of sand, rocks and a serious cut into the silence into the bargain.

Kimberley couldn't believe her eyes.

"I don't believe it." Amanda whined out in a shock faced stare of her own. Kimberley couldn't blame her; neither could she. "I couldn't… not even with…" she managed out so quietly that Kimberley almost couldn't hear her. Kevin growled as he raised himself shakily, eyes narrowed on his enemies. By now the silent – though chuckling away – Rico had fled, leaving his ally to her fate it seemed.

"Now…" Kevin murmured in narrowed brown eyes as he fingered a knife in his hand, slowly edging on the beaten Amanda. Kimberley's eyes snapped over almost instantly. "We'll make sure…" he murmured again as he slowly but surely advanced on the wide eyed Amanda; the poor woman couldn't even seem to come to terms with her loss let alone prepare for her enemy's next assault.

"No Kevin!" Kimberley exclaimed as she raised herself as quickly as possible and in spite of the pain she forced it. She managed to grab the young man's right arm and he stopped in a curious blink. "Don't!"

"Why not?" he suddenly shot back in an angry scowl. "She nearly killed us! She _deserves_ to d-" he continued in his angry rampage however a hard look from the narrow eyed Kimberley made him shut his mouth almost instantly; not without a wincing scowl however. Before Kimberley even _responded_ however the door that locked the group all in was suddenly burst open.

Floods of uniformed men and women piled in to the brim, all wielding weapons; firearms. A long black haired man, with his unruly head of hair in a ponytail, rushed on in with the men behind him. He wore a similar get up to the rest of the Team Rocket Grunts and for a second, Kevin and Kimberley were taken off guard.

Then they realised the ICL Logo on the uniformed women and men's armour and weapons.

"Yo!" the black haired man exclaimed over as he pointed at the two in question, eyes narrowed. He rose up his own handgun to point at them. "Rockets?" he simply asked and all the two could do to respond was a non vocal shaking of their heads. He seemed satisfied for now however that only seemed to be because of the fallen and still shock faced Amanda.

As well as the dirty great, fainted Moltres lying down.

Some of the officers around the area murmured to themselves about the fallen Pokémon's existence as they crowded 'round it.

The two battlers finally took this as a sign to fall to the ground face up, their arms splayed around themselves, gasping for air.

"God," Kevin gasped out as he shut his eyes.

"We did it," Kimberley chuckled out. "I thought we were finished,"

"Yeah,"

"Wait!" she gasped out suddenly in widened eyes. "Steven-"

"Can manage just fine… without us." Kevin gasped back over as he turned his eyes over to her. She gave a couple of more seconds thought to that before sighing and nodding.

There was nothing else she could manage anyway.

"_Well."_ she began to herself in a light smile. _"I hope this is enough to pay you back."_ the Wanderer smiled as she shut her sea blue eyes, the sounds of the shouting men and women lost to her and fading away.

_**12**_

"Augh!" Misty exclaimed as she brought up her arms to defend against the Zapdos' crushing assault. It shot a lightning attack; a Thunderbolt at her Poliwhirl and she saw its end almost instantly. "No!" she shot forth in widened, greenish eyes however Oblivion rushed to the rescue with another Protect shield for her Pokémon. Misty turned her head in a gasp to find the grinning, though gasping Steven, nodding in her direction. She could only smile back.

"Rgh." Rick growled as he narrowed his eyes at the two. "Go for the Blastoise!" he exclaimed in his order. The Lightning Bird gladly moved its attention over to its weakened enemy and Steven gasped in surprise. Sure enough it shot forth another Thunderbolt and it struck the grunting Blastoise with superior ferocity.

"No!" Misty exclaimed again. "Leave him alone!" she yelled angrily at the two. Rick only grinned in a sadistic manner back as he lowered his head in the dark area he stood in. The attack finished and the Blastoise was still standing luckily, though it was now on one foot from the paralysation it seemed.

"What?" Rick shouted out in pure amazement it would seem.

"Wacan Berry!" Steven grinned out in his beginning and the ever angry Grunt's face snapped over. "Halves Supereffective Electric Type moves!" he stated knowledgably in his grin. Misty turned her head in a surprised blink, taken aback that he knew such information however as he turned his head, she knew it was her cue to assist him. "Let's go!" he exclaimed and she nodded, getting into position. Rick on the other side raised an eyebrow.

"What are they…" he murmured in narrowed eyes.

"Now! With each other!" Steven exclaimed as he raised himself up to point his left finger forward, edging his body to his left side in an angle. His companion imitated his stance and leaned against his back as she forced her right finger forward to join his left.

"Pokémon Power; Chilling Shot!" they both exclaimed simultaneously. Rick was left blinking and wondering.

"What the f-" he began however his curiosity was answered _for _him as the teaming Blastoise and Poliwhirl shot forth an Ice Beam at the same time. It conjoined in the air and seemed to form something entirely new, though still aligned to the Ice Type attack. Against Rick's angry wishes, it struck the wide eyed Zapdos and sent it back a few yards, screeching in the process. The Lightning Bird even stopped completely and fell to the ground as it was encased in a sheet of ice.

"Yes!" the redhead and red capped boy grinned out together as they snapped their fingers.

"_Fuuuuck!_" Rick screamed out as he kicked the encased, solid ice that his Zapdos now languished in. "Get _up_ ya useless _cunt!_" he screamed again up at the frozen Pokémon. A few seconds passed and the Rocket Grunt let out a long and ever livid howl, gripping the sides of his head as he did so. "_UUUUUSELEEEEEESS!_" the man out cried as he continually kicked the case of ice ahead of him.

It would seem he had lost.

"Lucky," Steven gasped out as he grinned, falling to one of his knees in following of his Blastoise. Misty smiled down at the boy.

"We did well huh?"

Steven turned his head up to nod in agreement, grinning happily as he breathed heavily from his fatigue. "Surprisingly,"

"Maybe we should learn to work together more often huh?" she chuckled and Steven laughed.

"No." a voice suddenly interrupted in a calm tone. The two gasped and snapped their heads over to find the grinning Rick ahead of them, not far at all. He held a firearm, pointed directly at the two. "I'm not leavin' here empty handed. You understand me?" he asked lowly in his light grin. Steven growled in narrowed red eyes.

"What's the use? You're screwed either way!" he exclaimed over in all his impatient frustration, swiping at the air as he did so.

Rick nodded in his mad grin. "Yeah, I am," he answered simply.

"So then why-" Misty began but he answered for her as quickly as she asked.

"If I'm goin' down." he started out before his grin widened as he clicked the back of his gun's hammer. "Then I'm takin' you little snots with me," he finished and his light chuckle soon escalated into full blown laughter. Steven's red eyes cringed continually as he knelt down, narrowed and all.

"Oblivion." he whispered over and the large Water Type nodded in its narrow eyed expression.

"You're both _fucked_." Rick grinned over as he slowly pointed the gun over to the cringing Steven. "_Whatever_ you do." he added on in his lightly chuckling smirk.

A bullet shot out but not from the wide eyed Rick; it grazed the ground near his boot and he turned his eyes over in his shocked expression. He traced it up almost instantly to find sentient drones above him, all poised to shoot him.

"Shit." he murmured in his scowl. Misty and Steven gaped before snapping their heads 'round to find a grinning Bill saluting the two off, accompanied by his smiling companion Red. They laughed out in pure relief. The computer literate nerd pressed some more buttons and the once shut pair of doors that led to the control room opened back up in a sounding slide.

Men and women instantly poured in, carrying weapons of some kind, similar to Rick's.

"Shit!" the man in question exclaimed in widened eyes before he turned and tried to run however he was caught in the plethora of soldiers. It didn't stop him from struggling however for he growled out and slapped, punched and kicked as many of the men and women as he could to escape, eyes narrowed. He blasted his firearm into the air as it was forced above his head, unable to shoot anyone. "Fuck!" he squawked before he received a barrel to the chest, sending grunting to his knees. "Fuckin'… cunt." he wheezed out before slowly raising his head up in his scowl.

A wide eyed and similar faced man in a similar outfit pistol whipped the livid man, sending him grunting and tumbling back face down.

Steven gasped as he fell to the ground voluntarily, turning his body around so that he lay face up, shutting his eyes as he smiled. "Thank… Mew," he gasped out in all his fatigue. In all the battling however he only just realised his crushing hand was stuck in the grip of his red head companion Misty. He opened up his eyes and exchanged a stare with her which, when she registered her _own_ hand's position, turned to a blushing one.

The two immediately yanked their hands to themselves, faces red like peaches. Their eyes snapped on over to their sides, narrowed and all.

How _long_ had they been holding hands?

Strange thoughts entered his head and the current events around them were lost to the duo. He chanced another look at her and found she had her eyes and head set somewhere else, refusing to look at him. He didn't find her as attractive as any other really physically great looking woman but…

Something about her now, something he only saw recently spoke out volumes against the others.

He found himself staring at her and forced his eyes away in a weak blink.

Jeez!

Forget about it, forget about it, forget about it…

He found it extremely difficult.

_Especially_ when he could still feel the warm softness of his hand lingering on his.

Luckily however the frowning, brown, flat and spiky haired leader of the uniformed men and women raised his head over Steven's and frowned on down at him.

It was effective.

"Gah!" the boy exclaimed as he snapped back up in a surprised wince. The surly faced man frowned on down at the two children and stood up straight. He wore a similar Rocket Grunt's outfit and for a second Steven was worried.

Then he realised the uniformed weapon carriers weren't targeting him.

Guess he was safe enough.

"Wait!" Bill's voice called and sure enough the young man himself accompanied by the ever silent Red ran up to the group. He didn't seem to be carrying a disc or anything and Steven almost yelled up at the young man however stopped himself. "What's going on?" he simply asked as he narrowed his eyes at the flat haired Rocket Grunt dressed man ahead of him.

"A rescue mission; we've successfully started our counterattack against the Rocket forces. We have at least half of the tower covered but we've still yet to find Giovanni. Do you know where he is?"

Bill blinked. "Giovanni?" he parroted. Steven's head snapped between the two as the cogs began to gear inside his head.

The man nodded in his frown. "The man at the opening ceremony; he called himself Adam Lyle,"

Bill's eyes widened. "Oh!" he gasped in recognition. The man raised his eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"No I'm sorry; I haven't seen him since the ceremony," he answered in an apologetic frown.

"Mm." the man sighed out as he folded his arms.

"Tom and Ross…" Steven murmured in narrowed red eyes as he turned his head down. The man's attention was drawn and he raised another eyebrow as he looked on down at the boy.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"Tom and Ross!" he exclaimed back as he snapped back up his head in surprise, eyes widened. He immediately yanked himself to his feet and ran on forward, recalling his Blastoise as he did so.

"Wait!" the Grunt dressed man shot out as he yanked a hand to catch the boy but it failed.

"Steven wait!" Misty yelled forward but he wasn't listening; the boy disappeared into the crowd. Misty smiled apologetically at the man ahead of her and bowed respectfully. "Terribly sorry!" she apologised before turning to follow in her own run. Bill sighed and merely gave the man a shrug before running on forward, his red head companion following. The man turned his head – the man known as Looker – and frowned, sighing as he watched the young denizens of Kanto run off.

"It's all just racing away from me now." he admitted in a droop eyed frown.

* * *

The red capped boy narrowed his similarly coloured red eyes as he weaved, twisted and turned around the fiery corridors, his companions calling his name behind him. He couldn't stop however for if he did he was afraid he'd miss his confrontation with the Mafia Don himself.

He couldn't let this chance slip away.

"_Okay chances are they're all on the top floor since we've all searched the bottom and middle."_ the boy thought to himself quickly as he bounded up the fiery and broken stairs of the Silph Company.

He took two at the time, sometimes even three and soon enough he found fatigue creeping back up on him again but he ignored it.

No _way_ was he missing this.

Soon enough and finally he found himself up at the highest point of Silph Co., eyes narrowed as he did so. He stopped to catch his breath, looking down both corridors to his right and left sides before he saw the obvious closed pair of doors dead ahead of him. He gulped down a load of saliva and walked on forward, eyes narrowed and heart pounding as he did so. The boy edged one of the doors open slowly, wincing as it creaked hard.

Well, there goes his element of surprise.

The first thing he saw in the once lavish room in front of him was the grinning man himself that he chased at the far right end of the room. He stood in an elevator and it took him on down a presumable flight of stairs.

"No!" Steven exclaimed before darting on forward, everything else lost to him as he fingered a Poké Ball. He made ready to throw it but before he could the man's grin and eyes were lost to him, disappeared below. He almost reached the elevator and with an angry growl he shut his eyes and gritted his teeth tight as he fell to his knees, putting his Poké Ball back where it belonged. "I'll be seeing _you_ again." he whispered determinedly, narrowing his red eyes harder as he stared down at the ground as if it were the Don's face itself.

"Steven!"

He blinked and turned his head in a gasp to find his running companions at the door; Bill, Misty and Red themselves. He looked onwards to find a fallen Venusaur and a shock faced Ross on his knees. The frowning Tom was found at his side, arm on his back.

"Tom! Ross!" the boy exclaimed before he bounded forward to join them, landing on his knees as he did so in a deft skid. "What's wrong? Who won?" he simply asked as he blinked over at the shock faced Ross. He was on his knees and hands, head staring down at the ground.

It was unlike him.

"Our enemy did," Tom answered for his companion and Steven's red eyes narrowed hard.

That explains it.

"Was it… Giovanni?"

"He didn't say but…"

"Was it Lyle?" Bill spoke up as he joined the group, his companions also doing so. Tom blinked as he turned and looked up before frowning and nodding gravely.

"Yes," he answered.

"Damn!" Steven exclaimed out angrily as he turned his head to the conveniently disappeared elevator. His eyes narrowed as he watched it hard. If only he thought.

"Ross? Are you all right?" Misty asked as she bent down to the young boy's level. He shivered once and it surprised the group but he slowly rose up his head in a wide eyed stare. Misty cringed; it looked strange.

A little creepy actually.

"I… I couldn't…" the spiky haired boy began but could not seem to finish. His temporary partner winced and continued for him.

"That man… Lyle you called him?" Tom asked the nodding and frowning Bill. "He fights like no other Battler I've ever come across; like…" he began in his explanation, feeling the air for the right word. "Like an animal, like… like some kind of being that _knows_ what we think, how we act, how we…" the young Sinnoh native tried to explain as he felt the air for his words and euphemisms.

"You don't need to explain." Steven interrupted as he frowned and stood up. Tom blinked in mid sentence as he rose up his head, gasping lightly as he did so. "I know him; I've fought him before." the red capped boy claimed in his determined frown. Tom sighed and nodded, seeming to be glad to be done with his explanation. "Ross." Steven began as he walked forward, lowering his hand for the boy to take. The Oak heir raised his head slowly and blinked. "I know how it feels here. _Here_ at least I know," he smiled lightly and Ross blinked his emerald green eyes at the boy.

"H-His power… it…" Ross began as he lowered his head, despair filling his eyes once more.

"Can be beaten." Steven answered suddenly and Ross snapped his head back up. "I know it can." the boy grinned back confidently as he lowered his hand to be taken once more. "You don't have to worry about your grandfather; the ICL sent in some officers to take the place. He'll be safe," the boy smiled.

Ross winced once before finally lowering his head and sighing. He rose up and took his rival's hand, raising himself up in a regain of his usual cool frown. He turned his spiky brown haired head and recalled his fallen Venusaur before leaning in and taking the boy in a quick hug.

Steven blinked in surprise and wheezed out in the bash that Ross had given him on the back as a sign of brotherly closeness before swiftly turning around and heading for the door. Steven blinked as he turned his head to watch him leave, perplexed.

"That was weird," Misty claimed as she watched in a turn of her head.

"Yup." Steven agreed in a cringe of his face.

"Yo! Steven!" Ross' voice called and the boy blinked again as he raised an eyebrow. Ross turned his head around halfway, frowning lightly. "Just because you've helped me with my grandfather doesn't mean anything has changed between us!" he exclaimed over and Steven blinked once before slowly grinning back. "But thanks anyway." the purple clothed boy finished in a frowning murmur. Steven grinned back before nodding, raising his left and softly clenched fist into the air as he did so.

"Nice to see you guys making up," Misty smiled as she raised herself and walked on over. Steven grinned back.

"Yeah," he answered simply.

"_More_ than making up I bet amirite?"

Steven nearly jumped at the voice and turned his head around to find the troll faced Kevin staring back at him.

"Yeesh don't _do_ that!" he exclaimed and took a wary step back as he did so. The older boy ahead of him grinned back. He was covered in bruises, dirt and looked as if he had been burned a little. "Whoa, what happened to you?"

"Moltres," Kimberley's voice spoke in as she walked beside the trolling young man, an arm on her hip as she did so.

Bill gasped aloud as he widened his eyes. "The Legendary Bird?"

"The very same," Kimberley nodded in response, frowning as she did so.

"Makes sense." Tom mumbled. "We fought a huge bird Pokémon that breathed ice at us," he claimed as he stood and frowned at the watching Kimberley.

"They had all _three_ birds? What are they planning?" Misty asked no one in particular as she attempted to piece the plans together in her head.

"Who knows?" Kevin murmured as he turned his trollish grin to a serious frown. "But that Giovanni guy's no slouch; the ICL are pissed because he ran off with something. I don't think he even meant to _take_ Silph Co.,"

"What?" Bill exclaimed over as he stepped forward in a blink. "But they clearly _attacked_ the building for-"

"They didn't stay here long did they?" Kimberley answered for the researcher. He blinked back at her before turning his eyes downward to frown in thought.

She was right.

So then…

What _were_ they after?

"Well whatever. Just means I have to find him and put him down for good," Steven spoke up as he clenched a fist hard with his eyes narrowed at the elevator that disappeared on him.

"Good luck with that." Kevin grinned as he issued the boy a pair of finger guns before walking on off past the group, accompanied by his ever faithful companion Kimberley. Steven blinked and turned his head to frown at his friends before smiling lightly.

"Thanks! We appreciate your help!" he called and the young man grinned back as he raised a hand to wave back. Kimberley turned her own head to wave on back in her own smile before the two disappeared down the stairs.

"Well… come on guys." Steven began as he grinned at the party of four at his sides. "Let's head for Saffron!"

A/N: Woo, hoo new record.


	22. The Master of Psychic Pokémon

**Chapter 22: The Master of Psychic Pokémon**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_** "Accumula Town (Mixed)" – Pokémon Black and White OST. ** Scene** 1**._

"_**Distorted Evolution; Battle against Eve" – Parasite Eve II OST. **Scene **2**._

_And with Steven and company's efforts Saffron is saved from Team Rocket's villainous take over of the Silph Company but Giovanni's sudden disappearance as well as the organisations own raises further questions._

_What was Giovanni's _real_ motive if it wasn't the Silph Company takeover?_

_With no relation to any other matters they know about Team Rocket's activities, the Pallet Three decide to move on to their original and individual objectives. Kimberley returns to skulking under the Indigo Conference League's radar, Ross returns to his Championship climb as does a similar faced Steven._

_As we join the rash, red capped Trainer in question however he learns that gaining the next ICL Official Battle Badge is not as easy as Ross Oak had made it seem…_

_**Scene 1**_

"… and Psychic Type beats what?"

"Uhhh… Poison and Fighting!" Steven answered in a light grin as he rose up his index finger. Misty smiled as she nodded in response, sitting across from in the hotel's bedroom he used.

"Good!" the red head smiled in her exclamation before bringing up another study point. "But answer me this,"

He blinked. "Yeah?"

"What _beats_ Psychic Type?"

His red eyes narrowed as he brought his lightly clenched fist to his mouth, brow furrowing in thought. That was a tough one. He went through lots of predictions and called upon his experience in battling but even then it wasn't nearly enough.

Go for a guess!

The brown haired boy raised his head and blinked, wincing lightly as he turned his head. "Water Style?" he murmured out. She lost her smile and shook her head. He groaned.

"Bug and Dark Type," she answered for him and he murmured the names under his breath as if to remember them. He'd better learn more if he wanted to beat the next Gym Leader.

Not to mention Ross.

He was _so_ close to winning last time too.

And there was always Giovanni.

"So is he ready?" Bill called lightly from the door as he grinned, raising up his head once as if to gesture to the boy in question. He leant against the wall in the main doorway, arms folded as he did so. Misty turned his head and smiled, nodding.

"As ready as he'll ever be," the misty eyed Leader smiled back.

Steven grinned back as he stood on up from the bed, dusting himself off. He walked on over to the similarly expressed Bill and exchanged a brotherly clenched fist bump with him.

"Got that right!" he answered the smiling Misty for him.

"Well… let's go!" Bill grinned as he turned to head out the room, followed by the grinning Steven. Misty's smile slowly left her as she followed however, a bad omen creeping up on her as before.

She wasn't sure why.

He had to admit, it was a little more daunting than he initially thought; a single device ahead of him _(supposedly a transporter /teleporter)_ was all that was in the dank and empty Gym. Apart from two small greeting pillars as always however and walls that prevented an alternative route.

Felt a little creepy actually.

"I'm not so sure about this anymore guys," the boy groaned as his red eyes darted around the dirty Gymnasium. It seemed to be hadn't cleaned in ages, maybe years.

"Come on! You were talking about this the whole night!" Misty cheered on as she smiled at his side.

"Mmm I dunno; maybe Red needs a tour guide or somethi-" he began in a wincing smile as he turned his heel to exit however the narrow eyed Bill grabbed the boy before he could.

"I'm not letting you run from this kid; you've put too much energy and time into it," the computer enthusiast smirked as he turned the boy back 'round. Steven groaned again. "Red's fine; she wanted to see Saffron's sights. _We'll_ be waiting here for your victory," the nerd smirked as he folded his arms. Steven's face blanched.

"I'm going in _alone?_" he whined in his cringe.

Bill's infectious smirk passed onto the watching Misty as she responded. "Sure! You wanna be a man don't you?" she asked and he groaned back.

"You guys suck." he pouted at the two before turning. "I'll come back with that Marsh Badge but you guys owe me!" he shot back as he turned his head around mid way. They smiled in response as they rose up their arms in a made deal. He nodded in a faux sense of strength before continuing on warily. The teleporter he stood on made him whine as he was turned into molecules, disappearing away.

Misty and Bill couldn't help but to burst out laughing at their friend's expense.

_**2**_

The frightened boy raised up his arms as if to protect himself from an imaginary enemy, red eyes widened as he did so. Fortunately it appeared there was no such thing and he managed to calm himself down a little.

The darkness of the Gym wasn't helping though.

Steeling himself with a deep gulp of his own saliva, the brown haired boy walked on forward warily, his right hand shaking on his belt of Poké Balls. He was expecting an enemy Trainer to leap out of hiding and challenge him or some Gym trap to catch him before he could blink.

However before any of that could mull over in his head a bright light suddenly emanated ahead of him, forcing him to cover his eyes with his arms. He grunted as he did so but pried one eye open to watch on forward. He made out blurry shapes of a seat ahead of him and a figure resting on it.

Could it have been the Gym Leader?

"Who are you?" he called in his cringe as he lowered one arm, warily stepping on forwards as he did so.

"Step no closer." the voice called out in the darkness, echoing as it did so. Steven _did_ stop but his eyes narrowed as they slowly adjusted to the light. The blurry shape slowly came into focus and Steven saw it; it was a young frowning woman, sitting on the once blurry chair. She stood on up and walked slowly over, her dark eyes narrowed and Steven finally got a good look at her.

Her long and dark hair came down past her waist, a simple fringe adorning her head. She wore a deep crimson overdress with black leggings underneath. Simple white gloves adorned her hands and light purple boots.

She looked about as ordinary as any other girl.

"Are you… Saffron's Gym Leader?" Steven chanced over as he frowned, his fear slowly melting away as he exchanged a look with the indigo eyed young woman.

"Yes. I am Sabrina." she replied simply in her brief introduction. "You must be The Truth." she answered and Steven blinked in response.

The 'Truth'?

Wait didn't _Brinca_ call him by that?

"She did." the young, dark haired woman answered, eyes narrowed as she did so. Her voice was monotonous and carried no emotion to it. Steven gasped and took a wary step back, his fear slowly climbing back up. Did she… read his _mind?_ "I can read all minds; it was why I was chosen as Saffron's Gymnasium Leader," she stated simply and Steven's red eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Unreal!

"But… I heard you use-"

"Psychic Type Pokémon; yes." she interrupted in her monotonous frown as she joined her hands at her elbows in an under fold. "I allow two choices; you can either face me in a traditional Pokémon Battle or be on your way,"

"Yeah?" he asked in a narrow eyed frown.

"Or you can face a stand in for me and win your Badge that way," she explained briefly and Steven blinked.

"Why a stand in?" he asked out simply as he bent, eyes narrowed.

"To be frank most Trainers do not find the prospect of battling me… appealing." she began and Steven blinked curiously as he kept his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "No one who has faced me in the traditional Pokémon Gymnasium Battle…" she began again in shut eyes and Steven raised his eyebrows. She snapped them open and spoke. "Has ever survived," the young woman shot out monotonously. Steven gasped and his red eyes widened.

"S-Survived?"

"When you face me I battle not only with my Pokémon… but with my _mind_." she explained out, her voice given a tiny bit of colour to it. Steven furrowed his brow as he listened. "No one has been able to handle both; it puts too much a strain on their mental and physical abilities." she continued and Steven blinked. She turned on her heel and walked on off. "I will get the stand in," she conceded simply, not even waiting to hear his answer it seemed. Steven's world came back to him and he raised his arm forward.

"Wait!" he called and the frowning Leader turned her head around mid way. "I want to face you traditionally," the boy frowned on forward, eyes set hard and narrowed. The fear was still there but something else was as well; the feeling he got when people challenged him… their words.

He saw his victory.

"You realise there is little chance in your victory," she stated and frowned towards him as she watched him.

Steven slowly gained a confident grin as he usually did when the feeling in the pit of his stomach called. "I _know_ I can win," he simply shot back in his grin and Sabrina even raised an eyebrow or two before slowly turning her body around. She seemed to examine him for a little while longer, purple eyes narrowed.

It was as if she was second guessing.

But wasn't Sabrina psychic?

"Very well." she finally answered. Steven's grin grew but just like that the area around lit up in a sudden and huge flash. He grunted once and shut his eyes instantly but just as quickly grew accustomed to the light. Soon he found himself in a much cleaner than expected battle arena he'd usually seen for Gym Leaders. He blinked.

He figured he'd find more gimmicks.

"We will battle with four Pokémon each but this battle will be different from each Gym Battle you have faced thus far," she began and Steven nodded as he listened intently.

"Yeah?"

"We will battle with our minds; I will use my psychic powers to tap into yours and we go on from there,"

"My psychic… powers?" Steven parroted in a curious red eyed blink.

Sabrina nodded positively. "Everyone has them even if it's to a lesser degree it is enough to lock minds with your Pokémon,"

Steven nodded in slow recognition and knowing. "I see. So our minds are joined with our teams,"

"Correct. In pure battle. If any of our Pokémon ever faint during this battle…" the young woman began as she narrowed her purple eyes and Steven tensed a little as he listened. "We will die," the dark haired woman claimed and the Pallet boy gasped in surprise, eyes widened as he did so.

"Die? But isn't that… I mean… illegal or something?" he spat out, taking a step back as he did so. Sabrina shook her head.

"If the opposing challenger agrees to these terms then no I am afraid it is not. The Indigo Conference League allows each of their Gymnasium Leaders to devise their own rules as long as they are unique." she explained and Steven blinked. She narrowed her eyes at him almost in a threatening fashion. "Mine's are extremely unique," she claimed and Steven gulped down some saliva.

She wasn't kidding.

No… no remember the gut feeling as you always did, he told himself.

Remember… 'The Truth'.

His eyes narrowed once again and his resolve hardened. "Any more rules?" he asked out in his narrow eyed expression.

"Yes. You must win this battle before your mind implodes from the strain of Brain Linking,"

"I have to _what?_" he exclaimed in a spitting wide eyed frown.

She was _kidding!_

"There is a similar risk for me but with my extensive training I am able to Brain Link with much more ease than you would experience." Sabrina quickly explained. Steven blinked in wonder as she spoke. "This is why everyone else prefers a stand in,"

"W-Wait… What's a 'Brian Link'?" he asked.

"It is a special bond between your Pokémon and you in which your neural brains are psychically linked together. During battle this is both extremely beneficial but extremely dangerous as well; a double edged sword some might say," the woman explained and Steven nodded in an opening of his mouth.

"I see." he murmured. "Then okay! I accept your terms!" he exclaimed and stepped on forward, head held low and eyes narrowed.

"You know what will happen if you lose… don't you?" she warned in narrowed eyes and still Steven nodded his head in his determined frown.

"If I let this scare me away then I'd be as well as giving up everything else," the boy shot back in his determined frown, clearly ready. She looked at him as if hesitant for a moment however soon gave in with a positive nod and frown, continuing on. Soon she was on one end of the field while Steven stayed on his.

He had to admit he felt a little nervous.

"Okay." he whispered under his breath and fingered out a Poké Ball from his belt, throwing it out. It exploded open to reveal a narrow eyed Nidoking and it copied its master's strange stance; the one taught to him by the old woman Brinca.

"That's a Poison Type Pokémon," Sabrina spoke on over with a frown and Steven nodded, a smirk slowly growing on his face.

"I know!" he called back and she narrowed her eyes, as if wondering what his strategy was.

"If you wish." she murmured and shook her head once before raising up her left hand, a purple energy like substance coating her outstretched two fingers and thumb. Sure enough, a Poké Ball floated up from her own waist and she pointed it forwards, eyes gleaming in the darkness. Steven watched carefully, narrowed eyes and all.

Even this could make or break the battle for the Badge.

A clown like creature met his stare from the other side of the field and for a second Steven's heart stopped if only in surprise. He blinked continuously as he watched it smile back at him, dancing a little dance as it stood forward.

What kind of…

Steven watched up to find his opponent's face as impassive as ever, arms folded and side on as she frowned towards him.

All right then…

He reached down to grab his Pokédex Version I and opened it up, quickly using the 'SCAN' function.

_#122 Mr. Mime_

_Classification: Barrier Pokémon_

_It is adept at conning people. It is said to be able to create walls out of thin air by miming._

"Well that doesn't tell me much." the boy murmured in narrowed red eyes as he snapped shut the Pokédex. His eyes sharply snapped upwards to watch his enemy and he quickly went through all sorts of scenarios.

Chances are it was a Psychic Type Pokémon; the one that Misty had told him about.

"All right…" he murmured out and exchanged a quick nod with his Nidoking. Sabrina watched him quietly and carefully, as if to allow him the first move.

And the first move he did make.

"Sucker Punch!" he exclaimed out and the watchful Nidoking's eyes quickly snapped open to shine a bright dark, scowling as it did so. Suddenly it disappeared from common view, smoke left in its absence. Steven grinned confidently over at the watching and impassive Sabrina however she responded regardless.

"Barrier," she simply frowned out monotonously and the smiling Mr. Mime moved to action; it rose up its gloved hands and materialised an invisible looking shield. Steven's Nidoking reappeared sure enough but as it did, it stumbled and fell forward however it soon recovered in a side flip, landing with a crushing scowl. Steven gasped out as he watched.

"How-" he began in wide eyed disbelief.

"Barrier sharply increases physical Defence and Sucker Punch can only attack the opponent if the opponent is readying an attack therefore your Nidoking failed," Sabrina quickly answered, frowning forward as monotonously and as business like as before. Steven snapped his eyes narrowed and set his feet apart as he re-attained his battle stance.

"Fine we'll come at you with a different attack!" he exclaimed out. "Megahorn!" he shot out and the purple coloured Poison Type readied itself to attack. However it seemed that Sabrina's Mr. Mime had the superior Speed statistic and so acted first.

"Double Team." she simply intoned and the miming Pokémon made it so; it soon made copies of itself of up to three at a time.

"Double T-?" Steven began in a surprised frown. "No!" he exclaimed out as he suddenly realised her game. He scowled on forward and waited with low patience as his Nidoking charged forward with its Bug Type drill attack. Finally however the strike backed Nidoking crashed its horn into one of the Mr. Mime copies successfully, sending it grunting up in a Supereffective strike. Time slowed down for the group as they watched the shut eyed, grunting Mr. Mime be forced up from the floor. "Yes!" Steven exclaimed in a confident and relieved grin.

Unfortunately however the Mr. Mime that was struck by the Megahorn attack suddenly exploded into white smoke, as if to counter Steven's previous joy.

"Wait n-" he exclaimed in widened, red eyes but it was much too late for he or his Nidoking to act.

"Psychic." Sabrina frowned out, arms folded and as monotonous as before. The reappeared Mr. Mime narrowed its eyes and growled as it shot a gloved hand forward and coated in purple psychic energy it caught the wide eyed Nidoking in mid air, halting its descent.

"No let go!" Steven exclaimed angrily as he recalled the very same attack used on his poor Pokémon in his last battle with Ross.

It didn't end well.

"As you wish." the Psionics Master frowned forward and nodded her head upwards. Her Pokémon instantly snapped its hand forward and set the attack off, sending the screeching Nidoking flying back, tumbling on the ground hard. Steven's red eyes widened as his body was suddenly wracked with a frightening amount of pain and he screamed out as he fell to his knees, gripping his body and the place it hurt him most; his brain.

It must be… the Brain Link she talked about?

So… painful…!

"Brain Link shares everything with yourself to your Pokémon. What your Pokémon feels, you feel. Thus if it faints… you die," she finished in a narrow eyed frown and Steven gasped continually in his quickly grown fatigue as he raised his sweaty head, his own eyes narrowed.

"But… it's only fainting! Why?" he called out as best he could but it sounded shaky.

"The sudden disconnection from your brain to your Pokémon's is too much for your own brain to handle. Your brain automatically believes that because one shared link is cut off your body has gone with it thus killing you," the Gym Leader explained in her colourless tone.

"Tch!" the boy tutted out in his scowl as he raised himself shakily to his feet in a grunt. His body felt worn out already and he hadn't even done anything.

Guess what she said was true enough.

His Nidoking painfully tried to raise itself to its feet as its master did but it was barely standing, huffing and puffing in its effort as it did so. His red eyes moved from it to his enemy's Mr. Mime. It surely couldn't take another hit from that Psychic Type and frankly neither could he.

He rose up his Poké Ball and recalled it, gasping as he did so. The Poison Type turned to red energy and followed back to its spherical transport with no protests at all.

He didn't blame it.

The red capped boy took out another Poké Ball and without the previous stamina he had earlier he manually opened the Poké Ball in his hand, forcing the white energy out to reveal the metallic monster Magneton ahead, levitating forward with its three eyes set ahead. Steven found his strength quickly returning and as he did so gasped.

"Your strength is returning because you're sharing a new link." Sabrina answered for him and he snapped his eyes up as he listened, quickly affixing his previous stance. It seemed she was right; the strength returned to his arms, his body and his brain.

He was ready!

"Body Slam!" he yelled out and pointed forward. The Mr. Mime's Defence might have been raised but he figured it'd still near faint from a Body Slam.

Couldn't faint it or she'd die.

"You didn't watch earlier did you." Sabrina spoke out as rather a statement than a question. Steven gasped in widened eyes and she frowned on as business like as ever. "Baton Pass." she ordered out and the Mr. Mime grinned before returning to red energy and going back to its master. She sent forth another Poké Ball in another coated psychic energy to reveal another Pokémon; this one looked different and yet one he had fought before.

All too well.

A narrow eyed Alakazam stood in a glare, both spoons in its palms gripped hard.

"Wait what's she-?" Steven began in a narrow eyed murmur. He couldn't guess what she was planning.

But he had to!

The Snorlax at least got a free hit in with Body Slam, causing the Alakazam to grunt out as it was crushed under the painful weight of his Snorlax.

"Great Caesar!" Steven grinned on forward as he watched it transpire. Sabrina didn't seem affected however and the boy quickly lost his grin.

She knew something he didn't.

But _what?_

The Alakazam easily rolled out of the way from the Normal Type's strong attack, coating itself in its psychic energy as before and Steven gasped.

"Wha-?"

"Psychic." she ordered out and the Psychic Type shot forward one of its spoons to attack with. Sure enough it caught the lumbering Normal Type easily and made it shudder. Steven grunted and fell to one knee as he felt the brunt of the attack to his body and head but it seemed the two were still standing.

"Ngh." he grunted out as he shakily stood back up, affixing his stance as before. "Can't give up; Caeser! Use Crunch!" he exclaimed out and pointed on forward. His Snorlax sure enough forced itself up and grabbed the wide eyed Alakazam tightly. "Yes!" Steven exclaimed as he grinned again on forward in another show of relief. The Snorlax let loose its sharp teeth on the wide eyed Psychic Type and sent its eyes to a crossed out expression, indicating its fatigue.

Until it exploded into harmless white smoke.

"Agh! No!" the irate boy screamed out as he gripped the sides of his head in anguish. The reappeared Alakazam showed itself once more and it bounded forward in a flip, one spoon raised to attack with. "No stop I-" Steven exclaimed out as he rose up a hand to halt the Leader vainly.

"Psychic." the woman whispered dangerously out in a narrow eyed whisper, arms folded as before. The attack struck the wide eyed Snorlax with surprising intensity and sent it careering back into the ground, smashing hard upon the ground on which it so previously and lovingly slept. Steven gasped and widened his red eyes as he wobbled from his Pokémon's pained attack.

Then it hit him; the same as before.

"Agh…!" he exclaimed again and fell to his knees, arms gripping his head as before and as tightly.

"You cannot continue. Forfeit now before you die," Sabrina's monotone and ever calm voice intoned down toward him. He rose up his head and scowled in her direction as he began to sweat again, suddenly as fatigued as his Pokémon.

"C-Can't!" he gasped out and raised a Poké Ball to recall his shaking Snorlax back to its Poké Ball.

Two left.

He had to do this _now_.

"Ngh!" he grunted as he threw on out another Poké Ball to reveal his battle stance Blastoise. "P-Protect!" he exclaimed out his next order and with energy renewed, he forced himself up to his feet.

"Calm Mind," Sabrina frowned out and her undamaged Alakazam further boosted itself.

"N-No!" Steven gasped out as he realised his wasted turn.

And with Protect already used the turn beforehand…!

"You were like all the same Steven Murray; all you have done is prove yourself to be another to the collection," she intoned out and Steven's eyes widened in another gasp.

"C-Collection?" he gasped out.

Sabrina's face slowly – _ever_ so slowly – turned into a light grin. "Now disappear and become mine," she spoke out in a slightly more toned voice, something else different about it that Steven couldn't place. Instantly her purple eyed Alakazam shot forth a boosted Psychic attack and with nothing else to protect him Steven tried another Protect with his Blastoise.

It failed of course.

The invisible Alakazam's attack flew at him and Steven and his Blastoise took one step back simultaneously, screaming at the same time as it enveloped them in the blast.

"_Nooooooo!_"

His final scream was lost to the darkness of the Gymnasium and Sabrina's previous purple eyes turned to a grinning and dancing red.

A/N: STEVEN DIES THE END


	23. To Find Sabrina

**Chapter 23: To Find Sabrina**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

"_**Abyss" – Angel Beats OST. **Scene **1.**_

"_**Alter Ego" – Angel Beats OST. **Scene **1.**_

"_**Dark Forest" – Midnight Syndicate. **Scene **2**._

"_**The House of Leaves" –** **Royalty Free Music. **Scene **3** and Second Half**.**_

"_**Ultimate Being" – Parasite Eve OST. **Scene **4. **Chapter Boss Battle._

"_**Escape from The Ultimate Being" –** **Parasite Eve OST. **Scene **4**._

"_**Need To Be Strong" –** **Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **5**._

"_**Strong and Strike" – Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **6.**_

"_**I Got A Victory Badge!" – Pokémon Anime OST. **Scene **7**._

* * *

_With his battle already underway – and presumably _finished_ – Steven hoped hard and put all of his training into his next Gym Battle with the ferocious but emotionless Sabrina. With the power of 'Brain Linking' – a foreign technique unique to her – she has herself and her Pokémon as well as her opponent to link their neural networks together._

_Sabrina seems very adept at her unique trait but Steven does not and so hopelessly loses his Gym Battle with the adept Leader. However not all went as planned it would seem; Steven did not die as instructed when his Blastoise had fainted and instead he wakes up in a dark area. At the same time however, the poor boy can only wade on forward in his disorientation._

_We join the rash headed battler in his climb to his life's work…_

_**Scene 1**_

_Darkness. Where am I?_

"Sure! You wanna be a man don't you?"

_Misty._

"I'm not letting you run from this kid; you've put too much energy and time into it,"

_Bill._

_What's going on? Why can't I see anything?_

The boy gasped awake sharply, eyes widening as he did so, shaking terribly. Terribly disorientated, his red eyes snapped everywhere around his surroundings. He yanked himself up from the ground he lied on and gasped heavily as he did so, feeling around his body as if for any bruises or blood or injuries. He found nothing and soon began to calm down.

Where was he?

The boy raised himself to his feet and took a look around, eyes narrowed.

A blank abyss stared back at him. Covered in a dark, watery floor with nothing else but a sunset orange back ground that was the sky.

Where…?

His eyes widened as his Gym Battle suddenly came back to him.

Saffron.

Sabrina?

Death!

His fear quickly rose once again but it was pushed back down as he realised his current standing. If he was dead then…

He looked up in a frown to find the abyss stretching out in front of him, purely nothing else in existence and he its only denizen.

Maybe this was what death was.

"I'm gone?" he murmured out in a wide eyed frown, unable to believe it. "I c-can't be I-" the boy gasped out in a weak whisper, eyes cringing as he did so.

A snap flash at his belt made him jump and before he knew it, white energy flew forward to form into a blue coloured turtle creature; a Pokémon.

"Oblivion?" he gasped out in a hopeful frown. It nodded in its serious looking frown. "Oblivion." he managed out this time in a happy smile as he leapt forward to grab the large Water Type in a hug. It stumbled a little but smiled as it returned the embrace. Finally the boy let go and he smiled back before turning his eyes over to the abyss. "I wouldn't want to be alone in this place. Ever," he murmured out and the turtle Pokémon nodded along with him.

"Why not?"

The red eyed boy yelped and snapped his body around in wide eyed shock. His shoes splashed against the water as he turned his eyes over to find another person staring back at him. His sudden fear began to die down again as he saw her appearance and even turned his head in curiosity.

Dark haired and tallish – about his height – and wore a simple purple dress as she frowned back at him. With similarly coloured indigo eyes she stood in a simple limp handed pose.

But…

No that's _impossible_…

Unless…?

"Sabrina?" he gasped out as he widened his eyes. The young girl turned her own head in her own curiosity it seemed as he spoke.

"How do you know my name? What is yours?" the young girl asked out as she frowned on towards him as monotonously as she seemed to before.

It _was_ her!

But… this one was younger.

How was this…?

"Uh S-Steven." he introduced in a weak frown as he stepped forward, the splashing water cutting through the tension. "We had a Gym Battle?"

Her head turned the other direction in similar curiosity. "What is a Gym Battle?"

Steven's eyes widened and he couldn't seem to respond. _"You gotta be kidding me."_ the Trainer thought to himself as he watched her intently. "That doesn't matter… where am I?"

"You're in my home. Why are you here?" she asked outright and he blinked.

Didn't answer much.

"Uhhh… I'm…" he began uncertainly in a wince as he looked down at the watery ground as if for some kind of answer that floated up for him. "From very… far away," he settled with in a cringe but returned to a simple frown as he rose up his head. The watching Sabrina exchanged his look with her own curious one before finally responding.

It was one of the longest couple of seconds in his life.

"Hm." she frowned out. "Follow me." she stated out monotonously and the boy blinked before exchanging his stare with the watching Oblivion. It shrugged and Steven winced.

What choice did they have?

The two splashed onwards through the dark and orange lighted abyss, led by the monotonous and – for some reason – amnesiac stricken Sabrina. It all just didn't make sense. He remembered facing her in a Gym Battle in a Brain Link take on it and then…

He gulped down a load of saliva.

She beat him.

"Sabrina?" he called out warily and frowned on forwards as he did so. She turned her head lightly as she walked.

"Yes?"

"What's going on?" he simply asked her in his frown. She blinked but turned her head back around.

"Nothing. All is as it was here," she claimed and Steven blinked.

Maybe he _was_ dead and he just had to find some way out. He couldn't abandon his quest to prove himself or leave his friends.

And there was always Giovanni.

"Mm." he agreed with simply for the sake of it and sighed lowly in his mouth as he followed her, his eyes moving down to the watery floor and his reflection on it. He couldn't find any bruises or injuries on him just as before.

Strange.

Suddenly however the dark haired girl stopped moving and came to another plain of nothingness bar the watery ground around them.

"What's up?" Steven asked as he rose up his head. She didn't answer and instead opted to rise up her purple coated hand. Soon enough a makeshift door made of psychic energy materialised ahead of them and she stepped to the side, gesturing forth towards it with a business like frown. Steven blinked. "I don't understa-"

"He would like to meet you," she interrupted in her claim and Steven's eyes widened lightly.

'He'?

The red capped boy exchanged a wary look with his Blastoise but regardless the two continued on and marched onto the door. He turned and stopped however as he gripped the psychic handle to watch the frowning Sabrina at his right side.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked and she shook her head. "Why not?"

"This is my home," she simply answered and Steven blinked.

What did she mean?

"Well… I hope I see you again," he smiled lightly and warily. She frowned on as before and nodded simply.

"You will." she answered quickly and he blinked.

Seemed so sure.

… Oh well.

He gave her a final smile and opened up the psychically linked door that she created. It creaked just like any other door and he walked on through with Oblivion.

Darkness, just as before.

He waded on carefully in the dark area, his eyes snapping around his surroundings for any strange differences.

Well… anything strang_er_.

The darkness of the area suddenly flashed a bright light however and Steven grunted before yanking his arms up to block it, eyes shut tightly. His Blastoise followed suite and cringed as it did so. After a few moments he chanced in lowering his arms – though however slowly – and frowned on forwards. Ahead of him lied a huge plain of grass and fields with a bright and blue sky.

It looked just like… Kanto.

"I don't understand what's going on…" he murmured under his breath, eyes narrowed suspiciously. His Blastoise shook its head negatively as if to agree with him on that very fact. And then as if to add further insult to their dilemma a floating object caught their interest and their eyes.

A floating candy cane levitated to his side and in front of his eyes.

He stared on, transfixed by the sudden appearance of such an unlikely food stuff, his Blastoise joining in.

"What the f…" he began in a wide eyed murmur. He noticed the area gave off a strange but pleasant smell as well.

Before he could ponder anything else however he received a bash to the head and yelped in the pain. His Blastoise stood to attention and aimed its cannons out with a lock sound however Steven back shifted to get a good look at his attacker. It was a young girl with long, straight and smooth blonde hair. She wore a simple white blouse and a pleated blue skirt. His annoyance grew and he gripped one arm on his head while he clenched his free left fist. She grinned back and it only annoyed him further.

"Hey what was _that_ for?" he exclaimed over in a wide eyed scowl. She giggled at his expense it seemed and the boy was left seething.

Jeez!

A finger tapped his shoulder and he turned to his Blastoise in a curious blink. It nodded in gesture towards the giggling girl and Steven raised a brown eyebrow before turning once more. "What's-" he began in an impatient scowl before suddenly realising his Blastoise's point. He gasped in widened eyes as he finally recognised her.

"_Sabrina?_" he whispered out in his cringe, eyes narrowed forward. She stopped giggling and flipped her long fringe out of her face in a happy grin.

"Yeah! What's your name?" she asked outright and he stopped in widened eyes.

What the…

"St-Steven," he mumbled out in a cringe.

What was going _on?_

"So why are you here?"

"Um… Well we want to get out but…"

"Why would you want _out?_ I wanna stay _in!_" the girl grinned forward as she vaulted her hands up in the air as if to show her own exuberance.

"Well…" the boy began in a nervous sounding chuckle as he stood, a zig zag smile on his face, unsure how else to respond. She rolled her eyes in her grin before leaning over and grabbing his arm.

"Oh, come on!" she grinned as she yanked him off and the boy gasped as he was pulled away. His Blastoise of course jogged on to follow the pair, still not trusting of the girl's intentions. Soon the group of three were brought up to the field's highest hill which to be fair wasn't very high anyway. Regardless the blonde haired Sabrina smiled and let out a prolonged, pleased sigh as she dropped her body to the grassy ground below her, arms spread wide in angelic fashion. "Don't you just love the sun on your skin?" she hummed out in a shut eyed smile. Steven couldn't believe his eyes or his ears.

What was going on?

"Come on! Join me!" she smiled at him as she opened up her eyes momentarily, gesturing her head down at her side. He sighed and winced.

"All right." he murmured, a little uncomfortable. Regardless he lied down on the grass beside her, arms flopping at his sides much like her. He felt a little out of place considering and still as disorientated as ever.

"Being young is so fun." the girl spoke up suddenly in her shut eyed smile and Steven blinked out of his thoughts. He turned his head around to his right in the grass, causing it to make a light scratching sound as he did so. "I never want to grow up," she hummed out again in her light, sun stroke smile.

"Huh," Steven simply and stupidly agreed with in his lightly opened mouthed frown. Blonde Sabrina turned her head in another of her morale raising grins.

"Don't _you_ wanna stay young too?" she asked in her bright grin, made all the brighter with the sun hitting it. Steven blinked before smiling weakly.

"Nah; I wanna move on with my life and grow up." he answered and her face fell almost instantly. "I want to see the world and what it has to offer; I want to be a good person when I grow up and I want to experience more of life," the boy continued in his own smile and she frowned sadly, her eyes lowering as she turned back her head slowly in a scratchy, grass sound. Steven's own smile fell as he watched her silently.

"I suppose… it would be nice." she murmured in answer, eyes lowered as she did so. Steven watched her with a frowning blink. "You know…" she began quietly and her smile began to return as she turned her head 'round again, turning back into a grin. "You're not like the others! No one else answered like that!" the young blonde grinned before she yanked herself up from the ground, leaping around like a toddler on a birthday. Steven blinked in wonder as he raised himself up slowly on his back palms, watching her in a mesmerised stare.

"'No one else'?" he parroted in a pondering murmur.

So he _was_ alive?

Maybe, maybe not.

"Hey maybe he'll see you!" the bouncy blonde gasped aloud as she lost her grin and stopped bounding up and down, hand over her mouth. Steven frowned as he raised himself up in an effortful grunt, dusting himself off as he did so. "Okay wait here!" she added on with another sudden grin and turned her body around. She walked on forwards a few steps before rising up her arms, now coated in a similar purple energy as her doppelganger.

"What's going on here?" Steven whispered out in a narrow eyed frown as he watched her work another psychic door much like before.

"There you go!" she smiled happily and stepped aside as she did so, allowing him room it seemed. The boy turned his head slowly around to mix his eyes and expression with his ever watchful Water Type again. It nodded in a worried but dutiful frown and its master gulped down before walking on forward. The whole business began to unnerve him.

Regardless he continued forward and opened the psychic door as before. He turned his brown haired head over to his new friend's blonde one and she grinned back at him as she waved him goodbye.

"I'll see ya on the other side!" she grinned and he smiled weakly. He supposed he would.

Just not her.

He gave her a last smile and nod before walking on through with his Blastoise close behind.

_**2**_

Darkness again – of course – and soon enough he woke up in another area. He gasped and widened his eyes lightly as he saw it; a huge and dark forest lay ahead of him, trees everywhere and in frightening positions.

Already he was creeped out.

"Oblivion… where are we now?" Steven asked his Pokémon in a narrow eyed frown as he looked around his surroundings. His Water Type could only shake its head in similar wonder.

"You're in my mind."

The red capped boy gasped and leapt back from the voice's source, eyes widened as he did so. However the owner of the voice was another young girl with features much like the previous two. However her hair was a different colour and cut choppily short; a dull grey. She also wore a similar coloured robe that covered her body, as if from prying eyes.

Steven blinked as he watched her. "Sabrina?" he questioned again in his narrow eyed expression. She carried the same look as a whole but her expression was different; she seemed more cringing, more worried about something.

More afraid.

"You shouldn't be in here," she murmured on at him in a wince as she looked at the two.

"Why not?" he asked out in a blinking frown. He felt stupid for asking but he knew she was probably right.

He just didn't understand any of this at all.

She leaned forward and cringed as she did so. "You'll die." she whispered and Steven blinked back as he took a wary step backwards.

Die?

But…

"He'll get you." she whispered out and pulled back her head, nodding in positive answer to her own claim. Steven stared back in a strange mixture of wonder, growing fear and disorientation. "He will," the young girl murmured out madly, eyes widened and cracked red, bloodshot. Perhaps from the stress?

Or her mental mind.

"Who will?" the boy hazarded to ask in narrowed eyes. She stared back in her frightened look.

"The bad man from the Void," she whispered, gripping her robe closer to her heart, as if it might protect her somehow. Steven blinked as he listened.

"Bad man from the Void…?" he parroted in a murmuring blink.

"I can show you the way through." the girl frowned out as she lowered her robe, adopting her previous expression when he first met her. "If you want," she finished in a meek murmur.

"Uh s-sure," he blinked out and she nodded before walking on forward ahead of him.

"This way." she said and her footsteps crunched through the grass and dark leaves. Steven watched her for a moment or two and felt sad for her; she probably had to deal with all sorts of stress and worry down here in-

Her mind!

That's what she said!

The red capped boy snapped his widened eye head over to his watching Blastoise and it nodded, as if sensing his thoughts. He returned its gesture and jogged to catch up with the robe wearing girl.

"Hey!" he called simply and she turned her head lightly as she walked though not fully or even half way. "You said we were in your mind didn't you? What did you mean when you said that?" he asked as he walked.

"Nothing really." she replied and Steven raised an inquisitive brown eyebrow. "She must like you if she brought you here. You must be very strong," she claimed and Steven narrowed his red eyes.

"What do you mean 'brought' me here? What are you talking about?" he questioned and this time she finally turned her head and in a sad frown spoke.

"The me that you fought in your Gym Battle was not me,"

Steven could only stare at her in silent wonder. Finally however he managed a voice.

"What?" he gasped out in a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes.

She sighed and shook her head, shut eyes and all. "Never mind." she murmured and turned to walk on. "I thought you might be The One," the girl whispered out so quietly he wouldn't have been able to hear it were it not so quiet alone around them.

"But-" he began in a determined frown as he stepped closer to her, however she stopped suddenly, halting his words and legs. He gasped as she did so.

"We're here," she interrupted and the boy blinked as he rose up his head. A dark mansion coated in a black pit of darkness sat ahead of him. Two lights were on at the mansion's top and Steven couldn't help but feel a heightened sense of fear as he saw them. It seemed so strange for lights to be on when he considered the darkness of the areas he'd been through so far. He nodded regardless however and walked on in the open gate provided, his Blastoise following him wordlessly as always.

He turned his head to frown at her. "You coming?" he asked simply and she shook her head.

"Don't let him see you." she whispered at him and the boy blinked again.

"Don't let him see me? But why-" the boy began as he made to step back towards her however the gate doors at his sides creaked and he jumped in surprise. All of a sudden they shut in his face and the boy leaped back to avoid being smacked. "Wait Sabrin-" he began in widened eyes as he reached a hand through the constricting bars. However when he looked forward the grey robe wearing girl was gone already. "Sabrina." he whispered and sighed as he lowered his head.

Maybe he was going insane and this was his karmic punishment for everything he'd done wrong. He almost felt tears going at his eyes as he remembered his growing up, how he treated his parents, his friends. His failure with Ross, his abandonment of his Pokémon earlier and especially his treatment of his best friend so far.

Misty.

The way he treated her had to be worse than he did anyone else. All she did was look out for him, watch him and help him get better both as a person _and_ as a battler.

All he did was throw it back in her face and more.

His grip on the bars tightened and he scowled on down at the ground, angry at himself. He remembered every little snarky comment he'd make at her or every infuriating childish grin he'd give her at her expense and he wanted to punch himself for it. His grip on the bars weakened and the boy gasped in his throat as he sunk to his knees, his hands following the gates' handles down with him, eyes shut and tearful.

He didn't even say 'thank you'.

His body shuddered every now and then as he crouched however his Blastoise reappeared behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He gasped and in widened red eyes swivelled his head 'round to catch his loyal Water Type's smile.

"Oblivion." he greeted in a shaky laugh, smiling back as he did so. "Sorry; guess I should make more an effort for your example huh?" he chuckled more at himself as he raised himself up, dusting himself off. He wiped the tears from his face and sniffed as he did so before sighing and raising his head up at the huge mansion ahead of him. "I'm sorry Oblivion." he murmured out as he frowned on as hard as he could. The Blastoise turned its head lightly in a surprised blink. "For abandoning you and for just generally being a bad Trainer," he managed out in a shaky sigh. He cursed himself for the tears that leaked at his eyes once again and angrily wiped them away.

"Blast," the Pokémon chuckled out its name as it grinned back, raising its chunky arm up. Steven turned his head in a surprised blink of his own before slowly gaining a grin of his own.

"Yeah." he grinned back and locked his own raised arm with his Blastoise's.

The two lowered their arms and gave each other a simultaneous nod and grin before walking on forward.

They'd get out of this mess and find Bill and Misty and apologise for everything.

Couldn't leave everything up in the air like it is.

And he was still to become Champion, not just for _his_ sake but his Pokémon's as well; they believed in the dream and in him.

"Come on Oblivion!" he grinned back at the Water Type behind him and raced towards the mansion, unafraid and embracing. His turtle Pokémon grinned as it followed him, keeping pace.

As the two approached the door, he rose up his arm and used the brass knocker with a frown. It rapped loudly and echoed in the dark forest, making him cringe along with his Pokémon. Soon enough however before he could try the door again it opened on up in a loud creak, making him jump.

A female face appeared between the crack and it frowned back at him. She seemed to be wearing a maid's outfit. "Mr. Murray?" she asked out in a monotone type voice and Steven blinked.

"Yeah that's me b-?"

"We have been expecting you." she interrupted with her frown and opened up the door fully to reveal a world of light and warmth inside. Steven and his Blastoise couldn't help but run inside when invited to get out of the cold. He sighed as he let the warmth hit him, his Blastoise following him. The maid shut the door and turned to face him.

"Thanks; we appreciate-" he began in a smile as he turned back his head to smile at her in appreciation however his eyes widened in shock as he gasped and stopped altogether.

Her face.

_Sabrina's_ face.

"I have no name so please call me what you will." the young woman frowned on back at him emotionlessly as her other self. He sighed as he turned his head, examining her face lightly. "We have prepared a room for you; Mr. Barren would like to speak to you as soon as you can," she spoke out and Steven narrowed his red eyes before nodding.

"Show me." he simply asked in his frown and she nodded positively before walking on forwards, climbing up the well designed staircase. "This way." she intoned and the boy and his Pokémon nodded simultaneously before walking on to follow her.

_**3**_

"Here we are." Sabrina spoke up as the two came at the end of the corridor, eyes limp and frowning as before. Steven looked over her shoulder and she stepped aside to show him the door; a simple oak one. "If you need anything be sure to give us a call." she frowned at him and Steven simply nodded wordlessly. She turned and began to walk down the hall, hands joined at her lap as she did so. Steven watched her and frowned as he did so, the gears slowly turning in his head.

It wasn't right; none of this was.

Regardless he walked on in the room, followed by his frowning Blastoise. Shutting the door behind him, he frowned as he walked on towards the bed at the end of the room, folding his arms as he turned to sit, crossing his legs as he did so.

"It has to be." he murmured and frowned up at his Blastoise subsequently. It raised an eyebrow at him and folded its chunky arms back at him as it leaned against the wall to its left. "If this is Sabrina's mind… and we're in it then what we've just seen are parts of her mind." he claimed as he frowned at his Pokémon.

It turned its head curiously at him as if wondering by his claim. He rose up his arms and sat up as he spoke, as if to add clarity. "The first one we met right? At the sunset place?" he began and his Blastoise nodded positively. "That's her as a whole as she is right_ now_. The one we met after that at the hills? She's Happy," he claimed and the Blastoise's eyes widened as it slowly added up.

"Blast!" it exclaimed and Steven grinned along with it.

"Yeah; you see what I mean? The next one is Sad at the dark forest." he explained quickly and his Blastoise nodded as it listened, adding all the information up. "We're probably the only ones to _get_ this far Oblivion. You know that right?" he whispered on over as he narrowed his eyes, a light trace of worry in his voice. The Blastoise winced a little and looked away from its master but nodded. "Nothin' to worry about though." he continued and the Pokémon looked on up with a curious blink. Steven sat on the bed and rose up his arm to show his confidently pumped fist. "We'll get outta this," he grinned and his Pokémon couldn't help but grin back.

He had to be an example and work at what he lost.

"_Clever boy."_

Steven gasped and leapt off the bed, eyes widened as he snapped his head around.

That voice?

"_You're correct; none of the others have managed to get so far let alone so quickly."_

The red capped Battler exchanged a quizzical look with his similar expressed Blastoise and it merely shrugged back.

"_It is pointless to resist answering; I know that you are there Steven."_

His annoyance at the being's echoing voice grew and he swiped a clenched fist horizontally in the air, as if to emphasise it. "So what? I'm here aren't I? Who were the others?" he called out in his narrow eyed frown, eyes moving around the room.

Must be a speaker somewhere; it sounded like a feminine voice.

"_You should know; you are The Truth after all,"_

"The Truth?" he murmured out in blinking, widened eyes. He remembered the old woman talking about it; his old teacher Brinca.

What did it mean?

"_Many more before you with your title have come here at _my_ Point of Origin,"_

"What are you talking about? What's a Point of Origin?" he called out as he turned his head around him, unable to find the source of the voice.

Was it _him?_

Or was he just going insane?

"_You have much too small a brain capacity to understand and you never will. Do you know why?"_

Steven's red eyes narrowed and a scowl slowly grew on his face as he waited for her answer to her own question.

"_It's because you're the same as the rest of them. Everything that you are is flawed, imperfect and – even to a point – disgusting,"_

"Yeah, really? What are you, a god or something?" Steven growled on back up at the ceiling as if it were the source.

"_I am the receiver and giver of life; I am the beginning and the end. I am the Mother of all ultimate beings; the beings that shall replace you and your puny creatures you call Pokémon,"_

"Where are you?" the irate boy exclaimed out as he snapped his body around, looking for the voice fruitlessly. "I'll take you down!" he challenged and kept a ready hand on the other Poké Balls at his belt.

"_You cannot challenge _me_ petty human. I have devoured countless numbers of your kind. My sisters and I alone could have made your race extinct within the time span of a single month,"_

"Big words." Steven growled back as he narrowed his eyes further, watching and waiting for his enemy. "Prove 'em," he added. No vocal response sounded off but rather the door to his room swung open all of a sudden. He gasped and snapped his head back 'round, eyes widened as he did so.

He expected a monster or a Pokémon or some kind of creature from his dreams to come rushing at him with no prior warning but there was nothing else there other than the darkness of the corridor. He blinked on forward and exchanged another worried look with his Blastoise before gulping and nodding.

The boy warily waded on through with a heavy heart and worried whisper, eyes nervous and darting around. The first thing he noticed when he exited his room was the damp smell and the general dampness and filthiness of the area. Dark and gloomy had replaced the tidiness and splendour it originally gave off.

But why?

Wait this is Sabrina's mind he told himself; remember that.

He walked on through carefully through the quiet hallway, the dripping sound of the run down water causing him to wince as he did so. What _really_ frightened him however was the voice.

It didn't respond when he answered.

Not vocally anyway.

It was as if it was planning something; something horrible. He just knew it.

"Oblivion. Stay close." he whispered out as he eased down the hallway, his Pokémon next to him. It nodded wordlessly as it walked beside its master. The two continued on haphazardly, eyes nervously wandering around. The mansion already looked incredibly different and he had still pondered why.

If it was as something as serious as a mind he was in right _now_ then there had to be no question it meant something. Something subtle. He groaned; he wished Misty was here to think for him.

He guessed it was up to him and Oblivion.

Regardless the two bravely ventured down the steps they were so care freely brought up, eyes narrowed as they did so. The two touched ground on the ground floor once again and Steven saw the exit. He gave his Blastoise a quick nod and the two made a break for the door.

Fortunately however as he ran he had the instinct to back shift away from the fire that suddenly materialised around the door.

"Back!" he exclaimed and widened his eyes as he did just that, his right arm blocking his Pokémon's own run. Thankfully the two escaped but it didn't alleviate his fears any.

Rather it increased them.

"_Come now. Do not dare to believe that this will be so paltry. Or that I am so foolish."_

Steven ground his teeth and sweat fell from his forehead.

"_I issued a challenge and you accepted. Show me your worth human."_

The boy's red eyes twitched but he turned them up to the staircase behind him.

No choice.

He exchanged another nod with his Blastoise and the two carefully treaded their way back up the staircase they previously climbed down. Having turned right at their previous junction they decided to turn left this time and walked on down before entering another staircase that led spirally to another floor above them. The voice didn't seem to interrupt them and that made Steven worry all the more.

He was probably just walking right into whatever it was laying for them.

Confidence Steven, confidence.

The boy and his Blastoise finished the climb and came at a short but narrow corridor with a single door at the end of it. With no where else to turn they continued on as warily as before. On and on they walked and soon they came to the same conclusion.

They weren't coming any closer to the door.

"What the…" Steven murmured out as he narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow at the door ahead of him. By now he should have reached it twice over but he _still_ stood at the door he came through behind him.

What was going _on?_

This voice; it must be playing around with his head, he thought.

"Hmph!" the boy scowled out before he turned his walk into a sudden sprint, eyes narrowed. His Blastoise followed of course and this time he seemed to be making some progress though slow. Angry at his former failures the boy let out a pent up yell as he burst his shoulder through the door, successfully bursting in.

He wished he hadn't.

A man of some huge height lurched at him with a kitchen knife in hand, dressed in an outrageous garb of a clown's, face full of appropriate make up.

The boy screamed in widened, frightened red eyes as he took a back step to avoid but he was much too late to avoid. His Blastoise leapt in front of him and brought up a Protect shield to defend against the attack however it surprised the poor two.

The laughing clown leapt right _through_.

Steven's scream stopped short as he watched the dissolving man leap through his own body, completely transparent. He stood shocked and dazed for a second or two but finally managed to wrest control of his body. The boy swivelled his head 'round to find the insane faced clown chasing a small girl down the hallway he'd just run up. He turned his body around and narrowed his eyes forward at the girl.

"No…" he murmured, eyes narrowed and unbelieving. "Sabrina?" he whispered out. Sure enough it looked like the young woman but much, _much_ younger. Younger even than he was. "Wait stop!" he called as he raised his arm however his Blastoise caught it mid way. He turned his blinking eyed expression around to frown at his Pokémon and it shook its head with a frown. "Oh." he murmured, lowering his arm and turning his eyes back to the disappearing forms of the running two. "You're right." he finished in a sigh before turning back and continuing on.

He walked on and accompanied by his Blastoise, he bravely ventured on through to find a set of double doors on his left. No more and no less around him. He had a bad feeling about these doors, like a bad omen that made the hair at the back of his neck stand on end.

Something behind those doors.

All of a sudden he didn't want to walk through those doors but a single scream from inside made him gasp and cringe. His Blastoise looked and frowned hard at him, nodding. Regardless Steven nodded reluctantly and with his Pokémon's help yelled as he bashed through the left side of the doors. Sure enough they got on through, eyes narrowed as they skid forward into the huge room ahead of them.

* * *

Steven gasped in widened eyes however at what awaited him.

A simple but large enough room awaited his eyesight but in the middle of this eventless canvas were two phenomenons. A cross of some kind with a sniffling girl attached to it and a tall woman at the cross' front. She wore a simple red dress and her long brown hair came down at the small of her back. Her hands were joined at her front and as Steven watched silently she slowly turned her head to smile at him.

She looked very beautiful.

"Ah The Truth. How lovely to see you." she greeted and Steven's red eyes widened again.

The voice!

He affixed himself into the lean and low battle stance that Brinca had taught him, his Blastoise copying his movements.

So this was her.

His eyes darted over to the sniffling girl, her face low and out of sight from him but he recognised her regardless. She wore the same clothes as their previous Gym Battle and her hair was similar.

Sabrina.

So then…

Who was _this?_

His eyes darted back over to the smiling brown haired woman. "I wouldn't be worrying about your dear human friend; it's a miracle she's even kept a semblance of her personality left," she spoke and Steven's hard look twitched a little.

"It's hot." Sabrina whined quietly as she cried. "It's too hot," she cried out quietly and Steven growled in narrowed eyes as he listened, the pressure soon getting to him.

"She should feel privileged that a being such as I has decided to take root in a disgusting, depraved and ugly form such as she," the brown haired woman smiled lightly back in a calm enough tone. Steven narrowed his eyes back at the woman, the tension growing.

"Who are you?" he spat out in his narrow eyed scowl.

"You humans know who I am." the woman frowned back, losing her smile as she did so. "I am the… 'virus'… that you humans demonise so readily." she spoke and the boy's scowl twitched as he listened. "And yet I am The Mother; the Lord your God. Your kind are _disgusting_." she scowled out at him. "You pretend you have virtuous ambitions and then do the exact opposite of what you claim to do so long as it ends in individual profit." she claimed in her quiet scowl and Steven watched her quietly with narrowed eyes of his own. "You're all hypocrites and self serving liars; every _one_ of you. It is Miss Marsh's privilege, no her _duty_ that she endure this for her _own_ sake," she finished in a lightly growing smile.

"What are you doing to her?" he growled out at the woman.

He was pretty sure this thing wasn't a woman though.

"So hot. It hurts." Sabrina's painful whine came. Steven's scowl twitched as he listened.

"Why, nothing." the brown haired woman chuckled out good humouredly as she joined her hands once more in front of her stomach. "I am merely giving her the honour of being my child's mother. That is all," she finished in an unnerving smile. Sabrina's growing and quiet whines got to his head and the boy lashed out.

"She doesn't want to! Just leave her alone!" he shouted at her angrily. The woman's smile was lost instantly and a frown replaced it.

"I should leave her 'alone'?" the woman frowned back at him and Steven scowled. "Like your kind left mines? Like your kind leave your _own?_" she spat out in her own angry tone, her frown fast becoming a scowl of her own making. Steven gasped and his eyes widened though only slightly, his own anger stopped in its tracks. "You're the same as all the others. You're weak; weak and ugly. Only a being such as I and my children can inhabit this world, you don't _deserve_ to live." she continued angrily and Steven growled back, unafraid. "You should both be ecstatic." the woman claimed as she regained her smile and the boy raised a brown eyebrow. "Miss Marsh is serving a higher purpose than her own; she could not have a higher honour," the brown haired woman smiled as before.

"You might be stronger than us. Some of us may be hypocrites." Steven began as he scowled on forward. The woman's smile was lost as she listened, eyes narrowed. "But you're wrong when you say we don't deserve to live. We've lived as long as we have for a _reason_." he spoke out as he scowled. His Blastoise nodded in silent agreement and the woman's frown grew harder. "It's Pokémon; Pokémon have taught us – taught _me_ anyway – that working together's the only way to survive!" he exclaimed out as he finished, affixing his battle stance. The woman snorted.

"That 'working together's the only way to survive'?" she snorted again and Steven's expression twitched again. "You cannot evade your hypocrisy by cloaking your words in a pretty speech. It is _avarice_ nonetheless,"

Steven's anger grew and he lashed out once again. "You can't _say_ that! Look at you!" he accused as he pointed directly at her. "What you're accusing us of doesn't justify what you're _doing!_" he shouted out and the woman's eyes narrowed as she listened. "Now let her go!" the boy screamed as he swiped a hand in the air horizontally for effect.

Unfortunately it didn't seem to do much for the narrow eyed woman did not respond; not vocally anyway. She rose up her arms to her two sides and before Steven could react, her short nails suddenly extended to inhuman like proportions. He gasped and widened his eyes as he watched the nails reach a claw like level, the blades reaching the whining Sabrina's neck. Even with Sabrina's dark haired head lowered, Steven knew the woman could probably still go for it.

Take it easy, he thought.

"You wouldn't dare." he murmured in narrowed eyes. "You need her," he reasoned in his narrow eyed scowl and the woman nodded as she slowly lowered her clawed hand.

"You're correct; I _do_ need her." the woman answered as she frowned in a disappointed manner at the boy. However a grin soon grew on her features and Steven blinked as he raised an eyebrow. "But I don't need _you_." she grinned serrated at him, her teeth sharpening and her body changing though slowly.

Steven was no less frightened by it however and gasped as he backed away from the woman, eyes widened. Her body grew taller and the clothes she wore ripped though still enough to cover her. The dress ripped at her arms and her long brown hair extended and raised itself to stand on end horizontally. Her dress soon conjoined with her skin and her human esque legs disappeared with it, instead giving way to a strange floating blue tail like appendage. She floated on towards him, dark eyes narrowed as she did so.

Steven's eyes darted from his enemy to the whining and tied Sabrina, backing away a step at a time as he did. "Oblivion? You ready?" he whispered out and his Blastoise nodded in a strong and hard frown. Steven followed its look and affixed his battle stance once more. "All right then here goes!"

_**4**_

The boy leapt backwards as the woman went for a forward claw strike. Her claws managed to bring up debris from the ground and Steven growled as he watched her.

She was strong.

But not strong enough!

"Oblivion counterattack with Aqua Tail!" he exclaimed and his Blastoise did so; it leapt forward and spun around in a circle as it smashed the shut eyed woman's body with its water charged tail. She seemed to grunt and was sent floating and spinning backwards from the sheer force of the attack. "All _right!_" Steven grinned as he pumped a confident fist in the air.

Regardless however the woman recovered in a turn of her body, halting her involuntary flight with a narrow and red eyed scowl. Steven gasped as he watched and she stared directly at him. "Do not fill your human head with notions of my defeat." she spoke over to him and her voice began to change; it mingled with another and Steven's eyes slowly widened in recognition. "I will add you to my collection and rule this world that your _disgusting_ kind hold so dear," the woman scowled on at him.

"You're-" Steven gasped out as he pointed at the woman. "You're her…! The one that pretended to be Sabrina! You're her!" he continued in his exclamation.

"You humans are _incredibly_ intelligent; I just _wonder_ where you'd be if it weren't for people like _you?_" she smirked on over in an obvious sarcastic tone. Steven's shocked expression soon turned to an angry scowl and he affixed himself once again.

"Apparently farther than you've gotten!" he shouted back and that was enough for her scowl to disappear it seemed. "Oblivion!" he exclaimed and the Blastoise stood ready to attack or defend again. However before he could issue either the form of the woman disappeared from his very eyes. "What the-" he gasped out however his Blastoise with its keen sense of perception snapped its head 'round and barked its name at its master to warn him. He swivelled his head 'round in a surprised gasp, his hair swishing around in the air as he did so.

The woman above him scowled hatefully down at him as she drew a clawed hand in a slash attack. Luckily his Blastoise came to the rescue with a flip and a Protect shield to block the attack.

"Thanks Oblivion." he gasped out as he turned his body around to face the transformed woman down. "Now Ice Beam counterattack!" he exclaimed and the Water Type shot forth a beam of ice as instructed from its mouth. Unfortunately the narrow eyed woman evaded it as before, disappearing from view. Steven snapped his eyes around in a gasp as he looked for the woman but he couldn't seem to find her so she answered him with a sudden slash attack to his left, unguarded side. He yelped in the pain as he was sent flying in the air back from the attack, spiralling around as he did so. His Blastoise once again came to the rescue and leapt to catch him, kneeling down as it skidded across the ground.

"Urgh." the boy grunted as he raised his head to scowl up at the watching woman ahead of him. His arms were held up by his faithful Blastoise behind him. "She has to have _some_ kind of weakness." he growled as he ran his left hand over his bloodied and scarred face. "We'll find it!" the red capped Battler exclaimed as he raised his body up.

"You will find _nothing_ but your own _death,_" the woman's voice echoed in the large hall, calm as ever and she suddenly disappeared as before. Steven gasped in surprise.

"No-" he began in surprise but the woman suddenly reappeared again at his direct front. Before he or his Blastoise could even do anything she leaned down and elbowed his gut hard, sending him down to his knees in a pained grunt. When the Blastoise attempted to Aqua Tail in response as a counterattack the woman scowled angrily as she caught the large turtle Pokémon's tail in mid air, thus halting its attack and leaving it in limbo.

Steven coughed as he fell to his knees, hands on his stomach as he shakily raised his head. "L-Leave it alone! Leave Oblivion alone!" he managed out in a narrow eyed shout before erupting into another fit of coughs.

"Your concern for this creature is touching but hardly necessary." the woman chuckled down at the coughing boy. "You forget human; you don't _care_ for it. You never did and anything you say is merely a hypocritical statement against it," she spat back out before suddenly pulling back her free right arm.

"N-No!" its master exclaimed as he raised up a vain hand to stop her but it was inevitable; the clawed woman grunted and scowled as she ran her clawed right hand across the shut eyed Blastoise's face and body, sending it grunting and rolling back from the pain. It hit the wall behind it and fell face down, eyes shut and seemingly unconscious. Steven growled at the sight before snapping his head around to face the frowning woman above him.

"Oh don't give me that look." she shot back and placed a clawed hand on her hip as she spoke. "I know your thoughts and your history. You _abandoned_ this Blastoise not long ago. Remember?" she finished in a smarmy smirk and Steven gasped.

She was right.

But…!

She chuckled in her sadistic seeming humour. "Just the same as _all_ the others," she claimed in her knowing smirk. Steven's twitchy scowl directed itself up at her as he knelt on all fours.

"You're gonna pay for that," he growled and the woman merely smirked back. With sudden agility that made even the woman widen her eyes he yanked out a Poké Ball from his belt and leapt back to throw it forward.

"You shouldn't be able to _move_ let alone-" she began but couldn't seem to finish; the sphere exploded and out was sent a narrow eyed Nidoking, charging straight for her. She could barely raise her arms up in defence as she was brought to the ground from the charging Poison and Ground dual Type.

"Poison Jab!" its master yelled out and the narrow eyed Nidoking rose up its purple coloured fist, charging Poison Type energy it seemed. Sure enough the fist crashed into the shut eyed woman hard, sending her down into the ground further and spitting up debris as it did so. "Yes!" Steven grinned forward.

However the poor boy's triumph was short lived as the woman's aura seemed to give off a powerful blast. It sent the grunting Nidoking flying into the air, eyes shut as it did so. "Ragnarock!" Steven called out in a wince as he watched it crash into the ground next to him, grunting painfully as it did so. The woman floated out of the crevice that the Nidoking had created and scowled on hatefully at the two.

"You cannot win this fight; you are in _my_ territory here. I can do as I please; increase my power or lower yours. You have _nothing,_" the woman scowled on at him angrily and Steven growled on back.

She was right. He had to think of something fast.

His eyes darted around for something to use and for a second or two he began to despair until he found the whining Sabrina still attached to the cross. He gasped and gears began to turn in his head. The floating woman noticed his darting eyes and narrowed hers.

"What are you planning?" she echoed over in a demand.

"Ragnarock!" he exclaimed, ignoring his enemy. The Nidoking forced itself out of the crevice below it and ran on with its master, the two making a beeline for the crossed Sabrina.

"Get away from there!" the woman demanded angrily but the two still continued on. She scowled and so extended her clawed arm forward at an inhuman speed and level, soon acting as a barricade for the two. Steven leapt on his Nidoking and narrowed his eyes forward.

"Poison Jab it Ragnarock!" he ordered out. The purple Pokémon nodded before charging energy in its right fist. Soon enough it crashed its Poison fist into the woman's arm hard, thereby breaking it and severing it from its body. The woman screeched in seeming pain and the two continued on for their target. "Now sever the ropes but be careful not to hurt her!" the boy exclaimed and his Pokémon nodded once again in accordance. It quickly yanked away the ropes at her legs and arms and Sabrina gasped as she raised her sweat stricken head.

"W-What are you doing?" she gasped out and he grunted as he yanked at the rope around her right arm.

"Gettin' you outta here!" the boy gasped back as he yanked off her right arm's bond. The woman's screech made the three gasp again however and turn their heads almost simultaneously. "Oblivion!" he exclaimed as he backed away a step in instinct. His Blastoise leapt to his rescue once again with a defensive Protect and as expected an attack hit the Pokémon's shield.

Yet this wasn't an attack.

This was a _barrage_.

Even Oblivion was having trouble standing from using _Protect_ against this attack. It grunted and fell to its knees as the arms that flew for it changed into many, smashing hard against the shield.

"_She doesn't want us to free her."_ Steven thought to himself in a quick thinking narrow of his eyes. He chanced a quick look at his enemy's expression behind all the extending hands and saw a deep and hatred filled scowl that she cared not to lift. His frown turned into a slow grin and even showed her it as if to mock her. The young Trainer quickly about turned and worked at the rest of Sabrina's bonds with the young woman's own clumsy help.

Sweat fell from his brow as he listened to his Blastoise behind him grunt and sag from the constant attacks but sure enough he managed to free the gasping woman and grinned as he did so.

"Ha! There!" he exclaimed and turned his head. The woman stopped her attacks momentarily, allowing the gasping Blastoise to recover. "How do ya like _that?_" he began in a fist raising grin however the woman's arms shot forward once again with blinding speed.

Oblivion couldn't recover in time and so gasped as it merely watched one of the many arms smack the wide eyed Steven in the face, sending him spiralling through the air. He grunted as he rolled and tumbled across the ground however he turned his body into a recovery by catching the ground in a break fall, back flipping once and landing on one knee, gasping as he did so.

"Mental note; try not to gloat so often." he murmured out as he winced, rubbing the trickling blood off his mouth. The red capped boy snapped his head 'round to find the young woman he'd saved previously cowering away in her own little corner. He ground his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

Had to make her stronger!

"Hold her off Oblivion!" the boy yelled over as he ran to the shaking Sabrina. The Blastoise nodded and narrowed its eyes as it readied itself. Steven shot off like an arrow from a bow and skid his trainers across the ground as he landed next to her, causing her to squeak and move away from him. "Sabrina!" he called in a raising grin as he raised his head to meet her embarrassed gaze.

"H-How do you know my n-name?" she gasped out in a veritable wince and Steven frowned back in an inquisitive blink. She looked different from the others as to be expected; she wore her now longer dark hair across her face as if to hide it from common view, wore generally heavier clothes and carried an auburn shade to her cheeks as if constantly embarrassed.

Could this be the _true_ Sabrina?

"That doesn't matter right now! My name's Steven but I need you to trust me!" he exclaimed as he frowned up at her. She blinked and moved away a bit of hair from her face and then, seemingly in instinct, moved it back again.

"B-But-"

"If you don't _trust_ me then we're both gonna die!" he shouted out suddenly and the woman cringed at his raised voice. She finally nodded reluctantly. "Good." he sighed. "We had a battle earlier outside as an official Gym Leader-"

"I-I'm a Gym Leader?" Sabrina gasped out in blinking surprise. Steven could only blink back.

She has _amnesia_ now?

She has to be _kidding!_

"I'll explain later!" he exclaimed out and gasped as he listened to his Blastoise grunt from taking the attacks. "This is your mind Sabrina; you control the area so _you_ can get rid of this thing!" the boy explained as he grinned widely, arms in the air enthusiastically. She winced and looked away from him. "What?" he simply asked in an inquisitive blink, lowering his arms as he did so.

"I-I don't-" she began weakly and gulped down as she did so, turning her head away from his.

"What's the _problem?_" he growled out impatiently and took a step forward.

"I don't think I can do this," she gasped out so quietly he almost couldn't hear her. The boy gasped in widened red eyes at her voice before slowly scowling back.

"I don't wanna hear it!" he shot out with as he swiped at the air angrily. She flinched and squeaked quietly away at her corner. "You're Psychic right? You can read minds and the future right? So put it to use!" he exclaimed but she still responded as before. Steven's scowl slowly lifted off his face and he shook his head before turning his body around. She blinked at him. "How can you hope to save yourself if you can't even _believe_ in yourself?" the boy murmured out before suddenly shooting off forward. Sabrina gasped and raised a hand as if to catch him but he was long gone by the time she did.

She watched him leave silently.

_**5**_

He leapt into the air and yelled as he came back down swinging his Snorlax's Poké Ball. It exploded forward and the lumbering leviathan itself charged out of its sphere, eyes narrowed and shoulder pressed forward. Sure enough it caught the wide eyed transformed woman off guard and the huge Normal Type crashed hard into the screeching woman, sending her off her feet and into mid air.

"Double Edge!" Steven yelled out as he landed, skidding across the ground, eyes narrowed. He turned his eyes 'round to his gasping Blastoise and quickly went into his back pack for some recovery items. Using them on the fatigued Water Type he quickly turned his attention back to his Snorlax to see how it was faring after giving the recovering Blastoise a morale raising slap to its shell.

The woman crashed into the ground painfully, skidding across and Steven grinned as he watched it. "Now Body Slam!" he exclaimed and the Pokémon nodded before growling as it dropped its full weight on the fallen woman. She gasped and widened her eyes as she saw it and even squealed in pure horror as she did so. Steven grinned as he watched; he almost felt sorry for her.

_FROOOOOOM_

Almost.

Silence now apart from the dust cloud that the Pokémon had gathered from the attack, not to mention the crevice. It turned its head and grinned its fangs fatly at him and Steven took this as an opportunity to turn his own head in grinning victory towards the blinking and surprised Sabrina, giving her a veritable thumbs up. She walked on forwards warily however gasped, arms flying to her stomach instantly. She moaned and fell to her knees as she did and Steven blinked.

But then-

The woman's voice reappeared and screeched loudly it did; the wide eyed Snorlax was suddenly sent flying from the blast of energy that she gave off in the crevice it created. Steven grunted as he rose up his arms to block the wind and dust coming his way, his Blastoise doing the same. The brown haired woman wasn't finished however and she scowled angrily as she extended one of her many hands forward to catch the sailing Snorlax in mid air, thus halting its involuntary flight.

"No Caesar!" Steven yelled as he caught sight of the woman's intentions. Regardless she went ahead and brought the grunting Snorlax plummeting down by its leg, smashing it hard down on the concrete below it. "Rgh!" the boy growled out before he threw forth two more Poké Balls; his Flareon and Magneton both ready for battle. The woman snapped her livid eyes 'round and made him flinch.

Damn!

She could be frightening when she wanted to be.

"Hidden Power!" he exclaimed and his Magneton went for it; it sent forth balls of strange green light out at the wide eyed woman. She saw them coming however and growled as she went for them with her many arms. Easily she disposed of them but despair she did; the woman screeched as her arms ignited on fire for some reason or another and Steven smirked as he watched. "Hidden Power Fire Style! That's my Magneton's own Hidden Power!" he exclaimed and the woman growled back at him. "And now that it's hit my Flareon too, its fire power's only increased!" he grinned and clenched his left fingers together in a confident fist. "You're _finished_ now! Fire _Blast!_" he finished in a grinning exclamation as he stuck a right finger forward to presumably end the battle.

His Flareon narrowed its glowing red eyes and with already charged up fire in its mouth, the Fire Type Pokémon let loose its huge stream of intimidating flame. The woman's eyes widened for the umpteenth time as she watched however she scowled and smashed the ground hard with her arms, bringing up a shield of sorts to withdraw into. Regardless the huge blast of fire hit the cocoon that she hid into and covered it around in the dangerous substance. Before they even knew it, the area was lit up in a glorious dazzle of red flames.

"_I owe you one Ross."_ Steven grinned to himself in thought as he watched the flame cover the woman's body entirely. If it wasn't for Ross' intelligence and his insults at the boy's intelligence he would have never thought of this strategy.

Or any strategy at all to be perfectly honest.

Soon enough the Fire Blast began to dissipate and Steven smiled down at his Pokémon. The Flareon smiled back at him and his Magneton, Blastoise, Snorlax and Nidoking joined him. "Thanks guys." the boy smiled as he shut his eyes and brought the group into an embracing hug. They all smiled – or all the ones that _could_ anyway – and returned the embrace. Sabrina smiled on as she watched, standing back up.

Again the floor exploded hard, sending forth wind and rocks, causing the red capped Trainer to gasp in surprise, blocking the wind and rocks with a raise of his arms as before.

"_Again?_" he exclaimed in a mix of frustration and disbelief. The woman – now a different form it seemed – floated out of the rocks and the cocoon she formed earlier, eyes narrowed hatefully and angrily.

Damn! She's probably stronger now too!

Even her own _hair_ had turned into arms.

The woman used those said arms and easily scooped up the yelling team of Pokémon bar the back shifting Blastoise.

"No stop!" their master exclaimed as he took a step forward, red eyes widened as he did so. "Don't hurt them!" he called out in a horror filled tone. The levitating woman exchanged a look at the held creatures and then at their master before a slow smirk ascended on her face. Steven's red eyes further widened if that were possible as he saw it.

She was going to do it.

She was going to _kill_ them!

With no other alternative, the boy snapped his head 'round and called on the gasping Sabrina. "Sabrina!" he called out and she squeaked in another cringe. "Please! You have to stop her!"

She cringed again and her purple eyes lowered instantly. His own eyes lost their colour and vitality as he watched. Pretty soon however his anger grew once again; anger at himself for failing, anger at the world for being unfair and anger at her for not standing up.

He'll manage at least _one _of these before he kicks the bucket!

"Do you really think she can turn _any_ tide in this place?" the woman's voice reverberated around the hall and Steven's angry scowl snapped up to meet her grin. She chuckled ominously. "She's just like the rest of her family; _weak_. You humans are all the same," the woman smirked all knowingly as she spoke. Sabrina even turned her eyes up at the woman and narrowed them. Steven growled as he clenched his fists together.

"I'm going to stop you!" he yelled out and pointed a finger forward accusingly at her. She narrowed her eyes in a hard frown down back at him. "You've existed for far too long! It's time you were _stopped!_" he exclaimed and growled again. Not giving her a chance to retort he turned his head over to his Blastoise and nodded.

He had his Blastoise; it was all he needed.

_More_ than he needed in a place like this.

_**6**_

He signalled to his Blastoise and it followed him as he ran to the worrying Sabrina's front in an effort to protect her it seemed.

"This is _your_ mind right Sabrina?" he called over as he snapped his head 'round behind him. It took Sabrina a second or two to realise he was talking to her.

"Well yeah but I don't-" she began in a wondering blink.

"Then believe in us!" he exclaimed as he snapped his head back 'round. The watching woman raised a curious brown eyebrow as the events unfolded, the team of Pokémon still levitating around her. "Believe in us and we can save not only you but my Pokémon!" his voice barked above the loud din of the noise that their enemy created. Sabrina's eyes glazed over.

She watched the boy and his Blastoise affix into a battle stance, a purple like substance glowing at his feet, soon joining with his body. It snaked on over towards the similar stance Blastoise and soon began to give it – like its master – an aura. The levitating woman saw this and growled angrily.

"No." she murmured before a clawed hand shot forward to attack them with. Sabrina yelped and raised her arms over her head, lowering herself away in a ball frightened. However the grinning Steven swiped at the air horizontally, easily severing the screeching woman's arm. "_No!_" she screeched out at him angrily.

"You don't want the future that's been written for you?" Steven exclaimed over the noise and the screeching woman as his Blastoise began to charge some water energy in its mouth and cannons. Sabrina rose up her head and moved some hair out of her eyes as she watched the narrow eyed boy's back, transfixed. "Then fight for a better one!" he shouted out as he used the Brain Link to send the purple energy given to him by Sabrina over to his Blastoise to further strengthen his attack. Sabrina's eyes slowly widened and a smile slowly gained on her face as she watched.

"Yes," she murmured in a smile.

"_Never_ give up to scum like her! _Never_ forfeit your life!"

"Yes!" Sabrina's smile expanded as she stood up straighter, the boy's glow going deeper. All of the screeching woman's attack attempts – as before – were swatted away as if they were flies.

"Believe in yourself and _never_ lose that conviction!" he exclaimed and began a grin of his own as he sent yet more of the Psychic energy that Sabrina gave him to his Blastoise.

"Yes!" Sabrina laughed out as she watched the similar expressed boy. "Steven!" she called and the boy half turned his head around. "You're the strongest person I've ever known!" she smiled forward and Steven smirked as he tipped his hat at her coolly.

"Hey I coulda told ya that!" the boy shot back in his confident smirk before he turned his head 'round.

"You think I'll just let you live Sabrina?" the floating woman shrieked down at them angrily. "You're _mine _for eternity! You always were and you always _will be!_" she finished in a much lower toned voice, an unnaturally deep one. However Steven still continued on, as confident as ever.

"Sabrina's her own person now and always will be! All you are, are _finished!_" the boy shot back.

"Human _scum!_" the woman bellowed down deep and livid. "_I'll send you back to the prehistoric caves your ancestors crawled out of!_" it roared in a deep and ugly turn of its face. It tore open it up its face to show off a revolting series of inside bone, blood and veins. Its scowl was still deep and strong however and it sent forth a charged beam forward of pure energy, kicking up rocks, dust and generally destroying the architecture.

Steven grinned forward, assured of his victory as he assumed Brinca's battle stance. "Come on then!" he roared over the din of the blast. "We won't just roll over and let you win! I'll show you just how far we've _come!_" he exclaimed and turned to his Blastoise, nodding. "Oblivion!" he called out and the white eyed Blastoise slowly widened its eyes. "_Hydro CANNON!_" the boy screamed out in his open mouthed grin.

It was incredible.

Steven had to stop himself from falling just from the sheer _force_ of his Blastoise's attack. The trio water cannon even sent the wide eyed Blastoise a few yards in skidding, kicking up concrete and dust. The two attacks collided and sent a huge shockwave rippling through the area.

The narrow eyed woman – or _thing_ – slowly gaped and widened its eyes as it watched the Water Type attack slowly – and with each passing second; quickly – overtake her own charged beam until, finally, it devoured it completely. When it hit the creature, she was caught in mid air from the sheer force of it and she could only gasp as it slowly enveloped her entire body, preventing her escape.

"But…" she managed to gasp out, eyes widened. The psychically charged attack cut away at her skin and body, dissolving it away like acid. "The Truth… _cannot_ live…" she murmured out in a pained whine. "D-" she gasped out before raising up her head, the rest of her body slowly being overtaken. "-eoxys." she finished in her final gasping whine.

Steven gasped as he fell to his knees, completely spent. He grinned and laughed as he turned to his similarly expressed Blastoise. He heard the slow approaching footsteps of his new companion Sabrina and turned his head around in a gasp. She stood over him and smiled down at him as she offered a hand, using the other to move the hair from her face. He couldn't help but give back a grin as he took her hand, a light like substance filling their palms.

After that the boy was blinded by the pure light.

_**7**_

The red capped Trainer gasped as he snapped awake his similarly coloured eyes to find himself dazed and disorientated for the briefest of moments. Suddenly however it all came back to him and he quickly checked around his belt for his Pokémon.

All there; thank Mew!

He let out a shaky sigh, relieved it was all over finally.

"Steven,"

The boy gasped again and snapped up his head a curious look in his expression. A woman walked out of the darkness of the Gym's room and smiled at him as she moved a part of her long and dark hair out of her eyes.

Sabrina!

The _true_ Sabrina!

"It's nice to meet you…" he began as he rose up his arm with an inviting smile. "Sabrina," he grinned up at her and she couldn't help but chuckle back as she lowered her own arm to take his in a smile of her own.

"Nice to finally meet you." she laughed and the boy turned his head curiously. "I had a premonition about your arrival but I didn't know it was you,"

"What do you mean?" he blinked out in wonder.

"Do you ever recall being called 'The Truth'?" she asked in a light smile and turn of her own head. Steven narrowed his red eyes in wonder and nodded.

"Yeah?"

"I had no idea you would come as you are; you're just a boy," she laughed down at him and he sighed, eyes turning away from her playfully.

"Talk about giving an answer without giving an answer." he mumbled out and she giggled.

"Steven!"

The two turned their heads in a surprised gasp but soon relaxed as the forms of Bill, Misty and Red rushed on in the open double doors. Steven's smile returned and he gestured to them to join.

"Where _were_ you? We looked all over!" Misty gasped out as she stopped next to the boy. Steven laughed and grinned back.

"Around!" he replied and he burst out laughing along with the watching and giggling Sabrina. Misty, Red and Bill all exchanged looks of wonder and bewilderment at their shared and inside joke but shook it off regardless.

"So um…" Bill began awkwardly in a wince but soon smiled at the two. "Who won?" he asked. Steven's eyes widened and he lowered his grin before looking down at the floor, seemingly in shame, opening his mouth to answer however Sabrina's hand placed on his shoulder made him stop in a gasp.

"Your friend did," the Gym Leader answered in a smile of her own. Steven blinked as he turned his bewildered look over to the eighteen year old Leader above him.

"But Sabrin-" he began to protest in a wondering blink.

"Shh." the Leader smiled back as she softly pressed a finger to his lips, thus silencing him. She stood up straight and went into her clothes to pull out an official ICL League Badge but like his others it shined with an unnatural light. "I've never done this before so sorry if I'm out of sync." she chuckled nervously down at the blinking boy.

Misty smiled as she walked next to the young woman and leant up on her tip toes, a hand around her mouth to whisper. Sabrina leant down and blinked as she listened. When Misty finally retreated the dark haired Leader turned her head over and raised her eyebrows, as if to ask a silent question. Misty nodded positively and Sabrina shrugged in a wan smile anyway, turning back to the blinking Steven.

"And so per the ICL branded Pokémon Association and with all of its honours and achievements I permit to you the Saffron City's Marsh Badge." the woman smiled as she handed down the shining Badge to the blinking boy below her. She looked up at Misty ahead of her. "Did I say it right?" she asked in a wince and the red haired Leader nodded in a positive smile.

"Word for word." she responded and Sabrina chuckled nervously.

"But Sabrina… I don't deserve this." Steven spoke up as he raised the Marsh Badge to the blinking Leader in question. "I know it wasn't you and everything but I _still_ didn't-" he further protested but the woman laid her hand softly on his and pushed it down with a smile. He blinked again and she answered.

"You do deserve it. It and more." she answered and he turned his head in a wondering blink. Bill, Misty and Red all exchanged raised eyebrows as they listened. Sabrina surprised them further by getting down on her knees and smiling as she pulled the wide eyed boy into a hug. She shut her eyes as she drew her arms around his neck, hugging him to her chest closely and tightly. "I'm so blessed to have met you," she whispered in his ear.

The shocked boy turned his eyes over to the hugging woman and he winced before slowly smiling and drawing his own arms over her, patting her back softly as he did so. "You're welcome." he whispered back in his smile and she sniffed, a single tear falling from her eyes as he did so.

Bill felt his gaze shifting over to the sound of gnarling teeth at his side and he wondered for a brief moment what it could possibly be.

The sight of a scowling faced Misty greeted him, her aqua eyes set hard on the scene ahead of them.

Wuh oh.

"Well we better get goin' Steve! We got places to be and people to see right?" the Administrator chuckled nervously as he took a step forward and tapped his shoulder impatiently. The boy turned his head and blinked before smiling and nodding. He turned back his head and let go of his embrace with the woman, Sabrina pulling back as well. She raised herself in a smile of her own and wiped away at the tear that trickled down her cheek.

"Thanks Sabrina; I'll make sure to earn this later and make you proud," the boy grinned as he raised his right, confident fist in the air. Sabrina giggled once and moved some of her hair out of her eyes again.

"No thank you Steven. I owe you my life and more; I'll try to live up to _your_ example that you taught me today. I'll be the best Gym Leader I can be and live up to and far beyond the ICL's expectations." the woman smiled and Steven chuckled. "You know if you were just a few years older-" she began in a growing smile and Steven blinked as he listened.

However the poor Leader was cut off by a sudden clicking like sound from behind the boy. Steven turned his head and blinked to find a sighing Bill turn his heel and lead the scowling and twitching faced Misty off out the Gym's doors. He raised his arm wordlessly to issue a temporary goodbye and Red giggled as she watched.

"I'm sorry; I think I made your friend jealous," the woman chuckled, a hand on her lips. Steven turned in an inquisitive blink.

"What do you mean?" he blinked up at her and she giggled, shaking her head.

"You'll find out when you're older," she reasoned with as she smiled and joined her hands behind her back. Steven sighed and lowered his eyes, drooping lazily.

"I _hate_ when grown ups gimme that." he mumbled out.

Sabrina and Red laughed.

* * *

A/N: Lol Naruto


	24. Save The World

**Chapter 24: Save The World**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

"_**Pokémon Mansion" – Pokémon Red, Green and Blue OST. **Scene **2** (Second Half and onwards)._

"_**Hurry!" – Final Fantasy X OST. **Scene **3**._

"_**Open Your Heart" – Sonic Generations OST. **Scene **4. **__Chapter Boss Battle._

* * *

_Steven manages to defy the seemingly impossible once again with a victory against the odds at Saffron Square's Gymnasium led by the seemingly cruel Sabrina Marsh. However it was revealed that Sabrina was controlled by an unknown entity that stored itself in her mind. After freeing Sabrina's own will was Steven able to rescue not only her but his own team of Pokémon and himself._

_Now with the Marsh family's Badge victory under his belt, Steven hastily moves onto the next Gym on the far off island of Cinnabar. What awaits him is far, _far_ more than a simple Gym Battle for as he had learned before; nothing comes easily._

_With a power of determination in his heart however he meets this challenge and many others with a renewed sense of vigour; Steven and his group finally reach 'The Fiery Town of Burning Desire'…_

* * *

_**Scene 1**_

Steven grunted as he helped Misty off the surfing Blastoise under him, Bill on the other side of the island pulling her up with his own two arms. With Bill, Misty and Red already safely on the other side, Steven smiled as he leapt up with another grunt of effort before turning and recalling his Blastoise.

"Thanks Oblivion." he nodded at the sphere as his Water Type starter Pokémon was turned to red energy, recalled to the Poké Ball. "All right!" he grinned as he turned his body, throwing the sphere up and catching it expertly in a snapping sound as he did so. "So let's see what Cinnabar has to offer!"

"Whoa, whoa hold up; we don't need to challenge the next Gym right away do we? I mean let us rest first," Misty ended in a weak chuckle as she shrugged at the boy. Steven blinked before shaking his head and grinning back. She blinked wonderingly.

"Ross is probably already _at_ the League! I can't let up; not now, not ever!" he exclaimed confidently as he pumped a confident fist in the air. Misty rolled her eyes in a sigh. Bill chuckled as he watched and laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry; we'll all recharge at Cinnabar's Pokémon Center. You can go do some reconnaissance at the Gym okay?" the Administrator smiled docilely.

"What's a reconnaissance?" the boy blinked back. Bill sweat dropped and Misty groaned, sinking her face into her right palm. Red couldn't help but giggle at his blank expression. "What?" he probed impatiently, lightly offended it seemed.

"Just go check the damn Gym," Misty groaned back as she rose up her face. Steven's grin came rushing back and he fisted the air as it did so.

"Can do!" he shot back before rushing on ahead past the group of three. Misty watched him with a roll of her eyes and another tired groan.

"How does he have the _energy?_" she gasped out as she watched him in a lazy expression.

"I've often wondered that myself since meeting him." Bill replied, chuckling along with the group as he laid a hand on his hip.

Steven's grin threatened to split his face and he dodged and weaved in the crowd and bustle of Cinnabar Island. He issued out an apology whenever he got too close or almost run someone over, still grinning as he did so.

It didn't look genuine.

But the boy couldn't honestly care for one main reason.

He was finally catching up to Ross.

With that in mind the red capped Battler continued to weave in and out of the large populace, evading even barking Pokémon on his way. Finally he had reached his destination; the Cinnabar Island Gym and he gasped as he stopped, wiping the sweat from his face.

So warm…

He gasped again in widened, red eyes as he caught sight of the huge mountain above him and the building labelled _'GYM'_.

_Amazing!_

A Gym right under a _volcano?_

Wasn't that dangerous?

He could just imagine Misty berating him for even _considering_ the notion of battling under a _volcano_. A mental image of a hard faced, folded armed version of her stood in front of him, eyes narrowed at him.

To be honest he could _kind of_ see her point.

But if he wanted to be Champion of the ICL and prove himself he couldn't let a volcano scare him away; he'd been through much worse at Saffron anyway.

"Oh well." he murmured out in a wincing shrug before walking on forward. He made to open the door of the Gym before gasping again as he saw a sign hanging outside the building's window.

_CLOSED_

His face fell and he groaned.

"Ugh!" he exclaimed in annoyance. "Now Ross is _totally_ gonna beat me!" he shouted out in pent up frustration. He could see it now, the green eyed Battler himself grinning down at him;

"_What's that Steve? Only reached Cinnabar? Pf; I'm already Champion. Sucks to be you loser."_

"Rgh!" the red eyed boy exclaimed again before sighing dejectedly. "Oh well." he murmured again in a narrow eyed pout.

Guess he'd have to come back again later.

The boy trudged on back to the island's local Pokémon Center with none of his previous vigour or excitement and instead marched on miffed back to his temporary base of operations.

It wasn't fun.

When he got back to the Pokémon Center he sighed and walked on towards the main counter, arms in his jacket pockets. He only realised he should have taken his fatigued Pokémon into the Center _first_ before going for a Gym Challenge. He cringed and looked on down at his Poké Balled belt, mouthing apologies as he did so. He knew they'd probably forgive him anyway but it wasn't the point.

Oh well.

He handed on over the five spheres and sighed as he leaned on the counter backwards, frowning as he stared into space. The nurse on the end frowned as she took the Poké Balls away on a tray to the healing machine behind her, business as usual it seemed. Steven sighed as he turned his gaze up to the Pokémon Center's ceiling, his mind blocking out the noise and chatter of the other Trainers and passers by.

His mind quickly drifted to his past events and his main goal. He had absolutely no worries at all that he could take down the remaining Gym Leaders and he was even feeling confident about battling Ross again.

But then he remembered Giovanni.

Even _now_ he didn't think he was a match for him.

What was it Erika called him?

"The Child of Viridian's Prodigy." he murmured out before chuckling and shutting his eyes as he lowered his head, his wild brown hair covering his shut eyes as he did so. His chin touched his chest as he remembered the man's supposed title.

He certainly deserved it the last time they battled.

Even with Caesar's strong Ice Punch – which was Supereffective no less – he could not prevail against Giovanni's one Pokémon; a Rhyperior he called it.

The boy shuddered as he remembered the man's parting words.

"_I am Giovanni Vittorio, Don of Team Rocket and your new leader,"_

He couldn't help from his spine shivering; he struck him as a confident man and one that was not to be irritated.

Steven had done that and more.

For all of Giovanni's power however, Steven should have been dead ten times over for all his anti Team Rocket involvement and yet still he stood.

He was definitely planning something and it had to be related to what he said.

"Steve?"

The boy gasped wide awake, his eyes snapping open as he swivelled his head 'round to find a cringing Misty at his left side.

"Misty." he gasped out in heavy breathing before smiling lightly. He placed a gloved hand on his chest as he shook his head. "Sorry," he apologised and she smiled wanly back.

"So what happened? You're back pretty fast,"

He settled down and answered with a light smile of his own. "Turns out the Gym's closed for today so guess it's a day off." he responded and her aqua eyes widened as she listened. He raised an inquisitive brown eyebrow and she suddenly grasped hold of his arm. "Huh, what are you-"

"_Finally!_" she gleefully exclaimed as she dragged the boy forward and he gasped, eyes widened.

"Just hold on I need-" he began before grabbing hold of the desk behind him. The nurse finally finished his team's healing and put the tray down. He painfully reached over and wrenching control of his two arms he quickly belted his five Poké Balls in a frown. Turning back, he gave vent to a sigh and rose up his left arm as he did so limp. Misty grinned again and yanked him away as silently instructed.

The boy groaned. _"Where does she get the energy?"_ he thought to himself as she yanked him out of the Cinnabar Pokémon Center.

_**2**_

Bill smiled as he rose up his camera, taking a flashing photograph. He lowered the device and smiled again before unusual noise to his right made him blink and turn his head. Sure enough and as expected it was Misty coming to join him with Red tagging along behind her in a light smile.

Yet Bill did not expect to see the wincing Steven being pulled at the vibrant red head's side.

Maybe the Gym was busy or shut?

"Hm." he murmured in his throat as he narrowed his eyes.

One more for the trip he supposed.

"Bill!" Misty called as she waved and ran for his position. He smiled and nodded up at her, raising his own arm to wave at her. The rushing two reached the smiling Bill accompanied slowly by the similar faced Red.

"You comin' with us red eyes?" Bill smiled down at the red capped boy in question. He blinked on up at the Administrator and sighed, dejectedly nodding at his own expense it would seem.

"Yeah the Gym was shut today," he lamented in a groan and stuck his hands in his pockets as he kicked up sand. Bill chuckled.

"Oh come on!" Misty exclaimed as she reared the boy's arm for control once more, smiling brightly as before. Steven gained a droopy eyed look as if to show his exasperation at the girl. "It just means we're finally taking a break from battling! Ya gotta admit it's long overdue," the red head grinned as she raised a crimson eyebrow, turning her head as she did so. He sighed in defeat and merely chuckled lightly back as he smiled and nodded.

"Yeah." he simply responded as he smiled back. Her head turned lightly in her smile as a red colour adorned her cheeks. Steven had to admit…

He was finding Misty more and more nervous to be around with.

He had no idea why.

Even when she _grinned_ at him he got a dose of the red cheeks himself.

Bill laughed as he watched them. "Come on guys; it's not show and tell." the young man berated jokingly as he ushered in the three. Misty pulled the blushing Steven on in to the open doors of Cinnabar's abandoned but open mansion. Red followed the group wordlessly, walking in before the smiling Bill.

Once inside the group had taken a quick look around their surroundings to find as expected; a dilapidated and old mansion of its former glory. Stairs lay in ruins, the musty smell left an impression and most of all the building was just generally ruined.

"Wow," Steven murmured as he walked on in the building, eyes widened.

"Why is a huge mansion like this unguarded and open?" Misty asked aloud as she narrowed her eyes.

"_Yeah. Why is it?"_ Bill thought to himself in his own narrow eyed expression.

"Bill, can we go have a look around?" Steven grinned as he turned his head 'round. Misty and Bill blinked at his sudden enthusiasm and remembered how childish the boy could seem.

One minute he was trudging about his loss to battle a Gym Leader and now he was all excited to run through an abandoned mansion.

Go figure.

Bill chuckled regardless. "Sure. Just make sure you keep an eye on each other okay?" he asked in a raise of his eyebrows. Misty nodded in a light smile and Steven grinned as he punched the air.

"All _right!_ Come on let's go!" the boy exclaimed as he dragged away the wide eyed Misty by the arm.

"Meet up here after you're finished!" the Administrator called out as he smiled forward. He sighed and shook his head as he watched them rush on off, turning to his new companion. "Come on; we'll have a look around." the young man smiled as he gestured his head up.

_Gideon ran, breath mad and heavy through the mansion, fear flowing through him as it usually did. He had managed to throw off his pursuers, the Rockets but it wasn't long before they'd find the Project that he'd hidden away here._

_Just like a few months ago._

"_I'm sorry Fuji old man. I'm sorry." the man gasped out as he leant against the wall, sinking down to his knees. He gasped out tears as he did so, his side hurting from the bullets they drove into him._

_He should never have taken part in it, never joined up with them in the first place and all _he_ could see was the ventures of science and how far he could unlock life's mysteries. Oh he unlocked life's mysteries all right._

_But the wrong way._

_Fuji probably felt the same; it was why he had evaded capture all this time and put his effort in hiding. He had no idea where the old man was staying and truth be told he felt a little lonely._

_But he wouldn't smoke Fuji out; no way, not after he'd evaded Rocket for so long._

_Giovanni would probably kill them both if he found out where they were staying as had been proven with the Rivers' Family Massacre._

_All he had to do now was stay here hidden somehow and recover. Then he could find the strength to get the Project back non-awakened and escape. Flee like Fuji had and find somewhere even far away in Johto or another region entirely._

_It was the only way._

Steven shuddered as he walked on along side the smiling Misty; he felt scared for some reason or another and he wasn't sure what it was. Could it be the mansion's emptiness or simply the atmosphere?

Seemed to be something else but something he couldn't pin his finger on.

"Hey look at this!" Misty exclaimed as she jogged on over to a ruined table. It was charred black as if from a fire. Steven narrowed his red eyes as he followed her to find an open book.

"What the…" he murmured as he read the book's entry.

_July 5th_

_Guyana, South America_

_A new Pokémon was discovered deep in the jungle._

"A new Pokémon?" Misty murmured out as she read along with the boy quietly. "Maybe there's more," she claimed as she turned a page.

"I'm not sure we should be doing this," he shot back in a narrow eyed expression but it was useless; he was too interested himself and found himself reading the next entry.

_July 10th_

_We christened the newly discovered Pokémon 'Mew'._

Steven's eyes widened involuntarily in a shocked gasp and he tore his head up away from the journal.

"What is it?" Misty asked in a curious blink.

"I know that name. I _seen_ one of those!" he exclaimed as he turned his head to the blinking Misty. She chuckled though nervously so.

"You can't be serious; Mew aren't supposed to exi-"

"I _seen_ one Misty." he repeated and interrupted impatiently, his red eyes narrowed as he did so. She stared at him as if for some kind of falsehood in his eyes but couldn't seem to find one. "Ross and I years ago before we were legally allowed to carry Pokémon… he battled one of those in my hometown Pallet," the boy claimed as he frowned on towards her. She stared at him for a while as if to ascertain this claim but sighed and shook her head.

"Let's just read the rest of this okay?" she frowned and turned her head. Steven nodded reluctantly.

_February 6th_

_Mew gave birth._

_We named the newborn Mewtwo._

"Mewtwo." Steven murmured in narrowed, red eyes as he read the entry.

_September 1st_

_Mewtwo is far too powerful; we have failed to curb its vicious tendencies…_

"That's it." Misty spoke aloud as she blinked and turned the next pages; all of them blank. Steven pulled his head away, a bad omen brewing and making the hair on his arms stand on end. "Sounds horrible. I wonder where Mewtwo is now?" the former Leader asked aloud as she turned her head. Steven's eyes narrowed as he thought about her question.

If it was so powerful and violent, why hadn't he encountered it yet?

Hell why hadn't _Kanto_ encountered it yet?

"Hm." Steven murmured out in his thoughtful expression. "Come on; we're getting out of here." the boy claimed as he grabbed hold of his companion's arm.

"But why? We're only just here-" she began to protest but the red capped boy suddenly stopped moving and swivelled his head around in a hard look of his eyes. She hadn't seen it in a long time and sighed in defeat, nodding along with him. He continued on forward with narrowed eyes and looked for an exit.

Pretty soon the two began to grow lost in the large mansion maze and between all the open doors and charred remains of what was once majestic, Steven couldn't tell the difference of whereabouts he was.

It was beginning to grow tiresome.

"Hey look!" Misty exclaimed in a smile as she pointed on forward into an open door. Steven turned his head in a blink to find a single room with a couch and a television with a VCR recorder unit underneath.

"No Misty we don't have the time for thi-"

"Oh come _on_ Steve; let me explore a little," the red head sighed at him and he rolled his red eyes.

"All right fine. But just remember _I _was the voice of reason here,"

Misty snorted in a grin. "Makes a change." she grinned before turning and running on in the room. Steven rolled his eyes again but followed the bouncy red head regardless. He walked on in and found her smiling towards the television which was really the only landmark here.

"All right come on; nothing else to do here." he frowned and ushered her out. She shook her head and leaned over to pick up a tape, smiling at him. He sighed and lowered his head. "All right fine." he murmured dejectedly and sat next to the gleeful Leader. She reached on under the television unit and fed on through the re winded tape, the VCR making whirring noises as she retreated back to the couch. In the midst of it playing she turned her head in a smile to him and he smiled warily back.

He didn't have a good feeling for some reason.

Finally the snow on the television disappeared and a picture opened forth however it was so fuzzy and out of sync it may as _well_ have been snow.

"What's-" Steven began in a blink.

"Sh!" Misty shushed the boy in a quick narrow of her eyes as a fuzzy and light male voice began talking.

"_It looks like I'm the only one who's made it out alive. We've tried to curb Mewtwo's vicious tendencies but in all of our research, experiments and examinations we failed to give it the most important thing it needs to co operate with us. A heart!" _the voice claimed as it laughed at the end of the sentence.

Steven blinked as he listened; was it the journal writer?

Or someone else?

"_And to think we had come so far in our research. Giovanni… I think he must've known even from the start this was to happen. He played us all for fools and I joined in like some sort of mindless rat and all I could see were the great ventures of science…! Ugh. It doesn't matter anymore." _

"_Giovanni's_ involved in this?" Misty murmured as she watched the fuzzy screen, eyes narrowing in thought.

"Sh!"

"_Whoever is listening to this tape, __please__ do all in your power to bring this to the authorities. Tell them Giovanni Vittorio is responsible for the Cinnabar Island massacre. The massacre was _not_ caused by a volcano accident." _

"_He_ was behind the massacre? But I-" Misty began again in a shocked blink.

"I'm not surprised." Steven growled out through clenched teeth as he listened.

"_Well Giovanni you dreamed of creating the world's strongest Pokémon… and you succeeded…"_

The television abruptly shut off and the video tape that Misty fed in earlier was fed back out.

An awkward silence descended upon the watching two as they listened. With some effort Steven broke the silence and raised himself up after a hard gulp. Misty flinched beside him and looked on up at him. He opened his mouth to speak and to further claim that they had to exit the abandoned mansion when a scream from down the hallway made them swivel their heads around in surprise and shock, cutting into the tension like a knife.

"Come on!" Steven exclaimed out as he gestured for his companion to follow him. She ran up to do so and the two quickly swivelled 'round a corner. They ran on down the hall to the voice's source and turned another corner in a surprisingly decent looking room to find what they didn't expect.

A madly laughing Kimberley on her rear, her cheeks reddened from some sort of substance.

Steven's nose wrinkled; alcohol.

A similarly alcohol induced Kevin sat at her left, his cheeks also reddened from the substance in question. They clumsily caught sight of the two and giggled together. Misty and Steven blinked as they watched them.

"Stevieeee!" Kimberley called out as she giggled madly, arms in the air. In her left arm she held a long necked bottle of the supposed substance that made her so jolly. Steven's face drooped as he was greeted.

"Don't call me Stevie," he whined down at her.

"Is… she all right?" Misty asked as she winced over towards the grinning Kevin.

"Ish all right!" the young man slurred out. Steven rolled his eyes.

"Drunk as a skunk." he muttered. "We were _worried_ about you two! Thought you had fallen or something," the boy berated as he stuck a hand on his hip. The two in question grinned at each other before bursting out laughing as they did so.

"Nahhh we're fine! Aren't we Kev?" Kimberley grinned over her shoulder and the young man in question laughed aloud, as if to profess his agreement.

"So…" Kevin began in a slowly raising grin as he raised himself to sit up in a right position. "Why aren't yoush two togefer?" the Renegade grinned sloppily and slurred at the wide eyed two. Their eyes darted at each other and then at the ground, as if embarrassed. Pretty soon _they_ gained a reddish tint to their cheeks.

"Shut up." Steven shot back in a simple hard frown as he narrowed his red eyes at the giggling two. However he couldn't stop the red colour his cheeks had taken. "Why are you two drinking anyways? This place is dangerous," the boy shot on over at the two below him and they blinked initially back however gained back their grins.

"Join us!" Kimberley grinned at them as she raised her long necked bottle. "You two could use a drink!"

"And a night togefer," Kevin sniggered more to himself than anyone. Kimberley heard him however and lowered her arm and head as she snorted in quiet laughter. Steven rolled his red eyes.

"Just answer him," Misty groaned as she folded her arms, rolling her eyes like her companion.

"We got rich!" Kimberley grinned as she rose up her bottle in triumph once again.

"We shold off the Old Ammmmber," Kevin hummed out as he smiled up at the ceiling in a glazed look. Misty and Steven raised eyebrows and exchanged a worried look.

"You _sold_ the Old Amber? From Pewter's Museum right?" Steven asked out in narrowed, red eyes.

"Yes!" Kimberley exclaimed in triumph once more as she rose up her head and bottle.

"But that means-" Misty began in widened aquamarine eyes.

Instantly – and as if to answer that call – a screech of some kind; an animal's rent the air and the building. Steven cringed and swivelled his head around to the voice's source before turning his head back to find the wide eyed expressions of Kimberley and Kevin.

"Woops." they murmured out simultaneously, dropping their drinks to the floor.

"It's probably one of those fossil Pokémon!" Misty exclaimed out and Steven's eyes narrowed as he turned his head back 'round.

"Have to stop it," he murmured out before darting forward.

"But we need their hel-" Misty began as she turned to catch the boy's arm.

"Leave 'em! They're too drunk to handle themselves in a Battle!" Steven protested back in narrowed eyes and Misty winced before nodding. She turned and apologised quietly at the two wide eyed watchers before turning back to follow the running Steven.

_**3**_

The red capped boy narrowed his eyes as he ran on through the many corridors, listening to the loud and piercing screeches of the rampaging Pokémon supposedly born from the Old Amber.

"If I'm right." Misty huffed as she ran alongside the red eyed boy. He turned his head curiously as he sprinted. "Then what Kim has sold… is an Aerodactyl," she gasped out as she ran.

"Aerodactyl?" Steven parroted as he turned his head.

"It's a fossil Pokémon; it used to live ages ago! I know that it lived in prehistoric times so it can probably fly and I heard it's a Rock Type!" she claimed as she ran. Steven's eyes narrowed as he turned his head back in his own run.

Sounded strong.

A _prehistoric_ Pokémon. Could he take it?

He shook his head in disbelief at his way of thinking; he _had_ to take it.

If he couldn't face this Aerodactyl then he couldn't face down Giovanni.

Sure enough the Pokémon's screeches grew louder and through his run, Steven went into his red jacket to bring out the Pokédex Version I.

Better keep it handy just in case the darn thing decides to rush around the cor-

Steven gasped in his throat as he put the brakes on his feet, Misty yelling in surprise as a huge pterodactyl like creature came flying on through, fangs bared and claws at the ready.

What do you know; it rushed around the corner.

Steven would have rolled his eyes was he not frightened out of his wits right now. Using his best reflexes he quickly scanned the monster as quickly as he could however the screeching Pokémon flew past him, bumping into him unintentionally it would seem. Regardless Steven grunted as he was knocked backward, falling back. He heard Misty call out his name but he grunted again as he turned his body around on the ground to gaze at the new entry in his Pokédex.

_#142 Aerodactyl_

_Classification: Fossil Pokémon_

_It was regenerated from a dinosaur's genetic matter that was found in amber. It flies with high-pitched cries._

"Dinosaur." Steven murmured out in narrowed eyes as he skim read the entry however another screech from the monster in question made him tear his head up from the Pokédex. He yanked himself up and pocketed the device before going for a Poké Ball at his belt. Before he could throw it out however a Poké Ball of Misty's own flew past him and out popped a Water Gunning Poliwhirl.

Steven gasped as he watched the Aerodactyl screech again and flip backwards in the air in retreat from the simple Water Style attack.

"Wake up Steve! Come on!" Misty exclaimed as she narrowed her eyes over at him. He blinked before growling and shaking his head.

"All right!" he exclaimed out and threw forth a Poké Ball of his own. His Blastoise popped on out and took its usual battle stance, its Trainer imitating it. "Oblivion; Ice Beam it!" the boy ordered out as he narrowed his eyes forward. Sure enough the large Water Type shot forth the chilling beam of ice at its flying opponent The Aerodactyl saw it coming and veered to the left in an agile swoop evasion, spinning around in the as it did so. "Wha-?" Steven could only manage out in gasped widened eyes.

Taking advantage of the red capped Trainer's surprise; it flew forth and with incredible speed it managed to rip a Dragon Claw attack across the grunting Blastoise's face however the Water Type had the quick thinking to raise its chunky arms up in defence. The Dragon Claw attacked raked the arms dry however and the Blastoise growled in the pain it received from the savage attack.

"Yeah?" Steven murmured out in a narrow eyed scowl before he yanked up his Blastoise's Poké Ball. Returning it to its Poké Ball he pulled out another Poké Ball from his belt, forcing the back of his red jacket up in the air as he did so. "Here; _have it!_" the boy roared out angrily as he chucked forth the sphere. It exploded and out popped a three eyed Magneton, electricity sparking as it did so. The rushing Aerodactyl tried another Dragon Claw but this time it barely scratched the defensively strong Steel Type. "Ha!" the red capped Battler grinned as he pumped a confident fist. Misty watched with surprised admiration.

"_He's learned to account for Type _differences _now."_ she thought to herself as she watched him grin forward. She felt a slow smile grow on her face as she watched. _"He's really grown."_

"Thunder_bolt!_" the boy finished in a wide eyed exclamation, pointing forward a finger in defiance as he did so. Sure enough his Steel and Electric Dual Type Pokémon intoned out its name monotonously before shooting out a torrent of electricity from the magnets at its three sides. The wondering Aerodactyl was hit by the beam of electricity and it screeched wildly as it flailed from the recoil of not only its _own_ attack but its opponent's. "Ha, ha!" Steven grinned widely as he watched it flail in mid air. "It's Supereffective!" he smirked as he watched, pumping another fist as he did so.

"You _knew_ it was a Flying Type?" Misty asked in widened eyes and the boy blinked as he turned his head.

"Well I sorta figured." he murmured back in a frown and she couldn't help but giggle at him. He blushed but grinned back regardless before turning his head around to face his opponent. "Now let's finish this up! Maelstrom; show me your Thunderbolt atta-" he frowned out as he punched at the air as if for effect however he was just as quickly interrupted as he had started.

"No wait!" Misty called out suddenly and the boy gaped out as he almost collapsed comically.

"What?" he snapped out as he snapped his head around angrily.

"Catch it!" she snapped back and he gasped in widened eyes.

"Catch it?" he parroted back and she rolled her eyes.

"Use your _brain!_ It's a _fossil! _A _rare_ Pokémon!" she exclaimed at him and he thusly blinked once more before grinning back.

"Hey true enough!" he shot back before turning his head and tipping his cap back. "Maelstrom let's go with a Reflect!" he ordered and the monotone Pokémon easily complied; it brought up a physical wall of light between itself and the enemy to halve physical attacks for a few turns. While the Aerodactyl clumsily stumbled in the air to attack the Magneton, Steven quickly rummaged in his pockets for some spare Poké Balls. Yanking one out he grinned as he spun it in the air for a second or two, characteristically arrogant before he yelled out as he took a step forward to throw the sphere in his hand.

The Poké Ball spiralled through the air before finally crashing into the wide eyed Rock and Flying Dual Type Pokémon. The screeching monster's voice was soon cut short as it was transferred into the sphere via transformed energy. Soon enough the crimson light disappeared inside the small sphere and compacted itself in, the Poké Ball falling to the ground in a resounding sound.

It sounded like church bells to the apprehensive Steven.

His heart beat with each roll of that Poké Ball, his similarly coloured red eyes set hard on the rolling sphere.

"_Come on…"_ he intoned in his head as he watched it roll. Finally his heart was alleviated and the Poké Ball gave off a noticeable click, the outside of the main button sparking off. His frown quickly turned into a grin and he punched the air victoriously. "Awww yeeeeaaaah!" he exclaimed out as he grinned, eyes shut.

"Steve!" Misty gasped out as she stumbled forward and the boy blinked as he turned 'round his head.

"Huh?" he blinked and suddenly he stumbled himself, almost falling. "Rgh! What the-" he exclaimed out annoyed. The building was suddenly rocked with a tremor; the reason for their stumbling they had felt before.

"I-It's coming from outside!" the red head reasoned as she winced and Steven growled. "We have to find Bill and Kevin and-" she began however Steven allowed her no time to finish; he quickly recalled his Magneton and grabbed his companion's thin arm before yanking her away with him. "Steve!" she called annoyingly as she ran to keep up with him.

"No time!" he shot back as he narrowed his similarly coloured eyes, twisting and weaving 'round each corner. Finally going down the set of stairs they came up, the two rushed for the exit and already found the area in a state of disarray and chaos.

Steven couldn't believe his eyes.

The once tranquil and peaceful little island of Cinnabar was already aflame in chaos and bustled with the sounds of people's screams. Countless men and women all pushed past each other in a vain effort to escape; some running for the life boats, some for their Water Type Pokémon to escape from with, some running away in homes and shelters and some just running around aimlessly.

But from _what?_

"Steve look! Up there!" Misty exclaimed as her slim index finger pointed up accusingly. Steven blinked and snapped his head up to find a huge shadow in the distance with an almost human like outline.

It was gigantic.

It loomed on over the island like some bad nightmare and with its strange powers, pulled the dormant volcano active again, decimating the poor small town.

"That's imp…" the stunned boy began uncertainly as he watched, wide eyed and taken aback. He couldn't even find a suitable response to the current situation at hand.

"Misty! Steven!"

The two snapped their heads 'round behind them to find the running Bill accompanied by the similarly faced Red.

"Bill!" Misty called in a light, relieved smile.

"I just heard the commotion; what's going on?" he gasped out as he stopped at the two.

"We don't know," Steven murmured out as he turned his eyes back up to the huge monstrosity causing the damage. Bill blinked and traced his stare before slowly widening his eyes in a gasp.

"It _does_ exist," he gasped out and the group swivelled their eyes over to him in an instant.

"What exists?" Misty asked in a raise of her red eyebrow.

Bill turned his horrified eyes down to the curious Misty and spoke. "There have been rumours that Team Rocket have been experimenting… with the wrong kind of Pokémon," the Administrator claimed as he narrowed his eyes up at the huge monstrosity above him.

"Giovanni." Steven growled out through clenched, angry teeth as he scowled on up at the looming dark shadow.

"What are we going to do? We can't _stop_ it; it's too strong!" Misty exclaimed as she watched helplessly.

"Correction." a voice interrupted. The group gasped as they turned their heads to find a similarly gasping man limp his way out of the mansion behind them, a Pokémon behind him; a Rapidash. He was an oldish looking man with a bald head and a long white and bushy moustache. He wore a loose looking shirt and tie, simple brown slacks as well as a long white lab coat however as he limped forward the group caught a red stain in his lower left side and his arms' vain attempt to stop the stain from growing any larger.

A wound.

Bill went over instantly to help and grabbed hold of the old man, leaning him against his side.

"Ngh." the old man grunted out as he cringed behind his simple black glasses. "Thank you." he gasped out as he was allowed some leeway

"Are you… all right?" Steven gasped out as he blinked, stepping forward warily as he did so. The old man gasped again as he raised his head and shook it.

"I'm afraid… not." he managed out before erupting into a pained cough, head lowered once again. His breathing became worse and the Rapidash at his side nuzzled the man's head. "What are… your names?" the old man gasped up as he winced. Steven blinked as he watched the man, wishing he could know more as more and more questions popped up in his brain.

"Bill and this is Red," the said named young man smiled down as he introduced himself and the similarly faced red head in question.

"Misty,"

"Steven,"

The old man watched and nodded once before chuckling weakly. "To think I would have been so… so lucky." he gasped out in his low grin before erupting into another fit of coughs. "You there… red eyes," the old man called weakly and Steven blinked as he issued a finger to himself.

"Me?"

"I saw you… face the Aerodactyl. You can…" he gasped out in his pain before growling, eyes and head lowering. He raised them once more to continue. "You can stand… a chance. I n-need your help," the man pleaded in a wince and Steven blinked. He turned to his nodding companions and gave a wince of his own.

"All right… what do you need?"

"H-Here." the man began as he shakily plucked a purple coloured Poké Ball from his lab coat. Steven recognised it instantly but only because of Saffron City.

The Master Ball!

What was this _old man_ doing with it?

Regardless he gulped down as he reached down to take the sphere from the man's shaking hand.

"Let me just take a look at this…" Bill began as he knelt down next to the white moustached man, taking off his back pack for its medical supplies. The old man seemed not to care and let him do as he willed.

"St-Steven." the wounded man began again and Steven nodded in waiting. "I n-need you to catch… that Pokémon,"

Steven blinked unknowingly and unwittingly. "Pokémon?" he parroted. Even Misty seemed dumbfounded for a second but she added it up quicker than Steven did.

"No," she murmured out, eyes widened in a light gasp.

"That sh-shadow-" the old man began before coughing again and grunting in the pain. Steven's red eyes slowly widened in response.

"You're…" he began before cringing and turning his head to gape at the relentless monster causing chaos. "Not serious," he gasped out in finish, eyes cringing as he did so.

The old man nodded. "It's a… Pokémon." he gasped out. "You have good… good battling skills… You can d-do this," the bald headed Trainer claimed as he cringed at Bill's work. It seemed to be working at least; he stopped coughing. Steven couldn't believe his eyes or his ears.

Or anything at all anymore.

He shook his head in a wince and took a wary step backwards as he did so. "N-No I c-can't I…" he murmured out in a cringe. "I'm just a kid… I…"

"Y-You have to. If you don't…" the old man began in a wince of his own.

"B-But I-"

"_If you don't, more people will _die!" Misty suddenly yelled as she blew up, hands clenched at her sides and rose as she did so. Steven flinched but the mark was made; he cringed and lowered his head, his arms trembling.

"B-But I… Ross is better than me at this and I-"

"Ross isn't here!" Bill hissed up at the boy as he narrowed his eyes. "You're the only one between us all right _now_ that has the Battling Skill _for_ this!" he hissed. Steven cringed once more and lowered his head as he rose up a Poké Ball from his belt; his Blastoise's. He looked on down at it forlornly and exchanged a look with his determined Pokémon. It nodded confidently back and he felt some semblance of confidence returning to him.

He _could_ do this.

He'd just caught an Aerodactyl no sweat at all and even then he wasn't even trying.

The boy snapped his head up and frowned hard as he usually did when faced with a challenge.

That's it; it was a challenge, just a bigger one that's all.

"All right how do I catch this thing?" the boy asked as he narrowed his eyes down at the scientist.

"It's a Ps-Psychic Type Pokémon… It's defences and Special Attack have all been heightened to the strongest level possible…" the old man gasped out. "It won't hesitate… to kill you,"

Steven's hard look only further deepened, as if to cast away the notion altogether. "Anything else?"

"Y-Yes… it uses a kind of… Psywave Tornado,"

Steven blinked. "Psywave Tornado?" the boy blinked down at him, clueless.

"It's like… a whirlwind rotational defensive manoeuvre… was made to be the strongest Pokémon of all…" he gasped out and Steven's eyes widened as he suddenly recognised the man's voice.

"You're him." he murmured out in narrowed eyes. Misty's eyes widened in a similar gasp of her own as she too caught on. Thunder struck at the right moment as if to The old man snapped his head up in a gasp. "You're the voice recorded on that tape in the mansion," he gaped out and the old man chuckled.

"Promise… to keep it secret?" he laughed bad humouredly, grinning painfully as he rose up his head. Steven's frown changed not and he frowned on back down at him though nodded regardless. "Call me… Blaine." the old man finally introduced himself in a grin. Steven nodded back along with the remaining members of the group. He grunted as he raised himself up, still shaking lightly. "I'm coming with you," Blaine claimed as he narrowed his eyes hard.

"Wait you're not actually thinking of-" Bill began in a surprised blink as he raised himself to his feet.

"I helped create this monster… therefore I should be the one to destroy it. Bringing children like you three into this is bad enough," the old man claimed in a scowl and Bill winced.

"Just tell me what I have to do," the young boy asked as he narrowed his eyes at the group's new ally.

"Rapidash and I will keep it busy, away from your line of sight so that you may find some opening to use that Master Ball on it. Are you clear?" the old man questioned and Steven nodded back.

"Got it!" he exclaimed before yanking out his new Aerodactyl's Poké Ball. Taking out a Full Restore from his back pack he quickly healed the Pokémon in its sphere and put on his back pack again.

"That Aerodactyl will come in handy. Be careful," Blaine began and ushered his Rapidash closer. It clip clopped next to him and he grunted as he raised himself on its back, riding the Pokémon.

"Wait sir you can't-"

"I'll be fine!" Blaine barked suddenly and Bill cringed again as he took a step back. "You and the women hide in the mansion safe; you'll only get in our way," the old man ordered out as he scowled at them. They all turned their heads to the watching Steven, as if for some kind of confirmation. He nodded in a light smile as raindrops began to fall from the sky.

"It's okay; I'll be fine." he smiled and waved them off. "I gotta stay alive to beat Ross anyway right?" he grinned confidently as before and Misty chuckled.

"Just be careful okay?"

"You got it," he grinned back.

"Ready?" Blaine asked as he turned his domed head in a frown. Steven nodded in a narrow eyed scowl.

"Let's go!" he exclaimed and the bald headed man kicked his Pokémon's sides. It neighed once and took off like a bullet. Steven ran on after him and the rain suddenly grew heavier.

It was then he realised he forgot to ask him something.

_**4**_

The red capped boy gasped as he stopped for a second to recover his breath, the rain hitting hard on his soft headed hair and cap. Finally he burst forward in a show of surprising speed, weaving in and out of the rushing crowd of people. It took a surprising amount of prediction and skill from not falling over either due to the simple crowd or the added dangers of the meteors thrown from Cinnabar Volcano.

Blaine on his Rapidash rode alongside him, eyes narrowed in the heavy rain. "I'm going to pull its attention to me!" the old man exclaimed over the roaring noise. "Be as discreet as you can but move quickly! Good luck!" he finished in a shout before kicking his Rapidash forward, forcing it faster.

"No wait Blaine!" Steven called vainly as he rose up an arm but it was beyond too late. "Damn!" he hissed out before grunting angrily as he threw out his new Pokémon's ball. Leaping up he landed on the Rock and Flying Dual Type's back, eliciting a surprised screech from the monster. "Trust me Aerodactyl! I need your help!" he called out and the monster took a small amount of time deciding between the looming dark shadow in the distance and its new supposed master before finally complying in a positive nod. "Great let's go!" he exclaimed and the Pokémon shot off like a bullet.

The first time he was ever in the air; Steven concluded it felt awesome.

Or it would have had he not a rampaging monster to stop.

Regardless the boy and his new Aerodactyl flew around in a circle like motion to both shorten the gap between the monster and themselves as well as keep an eye on the riding Blaine. All the while Steven clutched on for dear life as his Pokémon veered to the right and left to avoid the fiery rocks spat out by the volcano. Thinking quickly he went through all kinds of strategies and ideas for attacks and could only come up with one considering his enemy's Psywave Tornado; he could see it.

A razor whirlwind around the human esque creature that billowed around its gigantic body, eating up anything within its radius.

If Blaine used a Fire Type attack…

Sure enough his Rapidash shot a running Flamethrower at the monster and although weakened by the heavy rain it hit home and covered the creature's tornado in a fiery blaze.

"All _right!_" Steven exclaimed before pointing forward. "Come on, quick!" he shouted and the Aerodactyl shot forward, no questions asked. Like a bullet shot from a gun, its speed was incredible and Steven worried for fear of dropping once or twice.

It made him feel alive and more.

The newly allied two shot forward and with their amazing speed, weaved in and out of the oncoming rocks and boulders. "Ready?" the Aerodactyl's Trainer exclaimed out and it nodded with narrowed eyes, the Pokémon beginning to glow a bright white. Sure enough the fire that Blaine's Rapidash sent in had dissipated and the Psywave Tornado with it.

First rule in catching Pokémon; remember what you told those kids back in Pallet!

"_You have to weaken the Pokémon first."_

"All right then here goes!" the boy exclaimed out as he stood up on his Aerodactyl. The monster he targeted snapped its head around suddenly and its white eyes glowed ominously back, seemingly surprised and taken aback.

Good!

The boy thrust a finger forward and with wild, widened eyes screamed at the top of his lungs. "_SKY ATTAAAAAACK!_" he screamed out and joined his Aerodactyl in its white energy. The prehistoric Pokémon bulleted forward and crashed hard into the wide and white eyed Psychic monster. Steven heard it give its unique cry out in pain as it was struck and he turned his head around in a grin, pumping a confident fist as he did so. "Yes!" he exclaimed and went for the Master Ball however it snapped its head 'round to glare at him and he gasped. "No!" he just as soon as exclaimed and sure enough the monster shot its left arm in a diagonal swipe, sending forth a purple coloured blade at the two.

It struck the wide eyed Aerodactyl and sent it screeching down to the ground painfully, eliciting a pained grunt from its Trainer as it did so. However Steven just as quickly recalled the fainted Aerodactyl, rummaged for another Poké Ball and vaulted it forward and in his forward, recovering roll he landed on his quick Jolteon in a pained grunt. It shot off instantly and just barely avoided the monster's huge tail that smashed upon the ground, destroying several houses and other such buildings.

Keeping his body low and his head, he narrowed his eyes in the heavy rain as he held onto his sharp furred Pokémon. It weaved in and out of the creature's many Psycho Cuts and even evaded all the boulders spat out from the volcano. Finally the two had reached some kind of a stalemate and Steven took it as an opportunity. His Pokémon, using its wit, skidded across the ground and narrowed its eyes forward. Thunder and lightning suddenly struck as the creature turned its head to glare down at the watching two, suddenly and eerily silent.

As if it was challenging him.

Narrowed eyes and all, the boy lightly kicked his Jolteon's sides and it shot on forward. With amazing agility it managed to avoid the lightning fast Psycho Cuts send forward to it and all the other hazards. A huge boulder covered in fire rushed at them and with no side to evade from the two could only surmise to evade through the gaping hole allowed forward.

Steven shut his eyes slowly and prayed as his Jolteon leapt on through fearlessly.

He couldn't see it but the two successfully managed through and as soon as the Electric Type landed, Steven breathed again, amazed enough he was even still alive.

"T-That's good!" he exclaimed out and grinned forward. They could do this! "Keep going!" he rallied and his Jolteon grinned back as it bulleted forward. The creature seemed miffed that the two were still gunning for them and so sent forth some presumed Psychic attacks, kicking up the dirt and destroying buildings inches away from them.

Still they evaded.

With a tiny opening forward that wasn't covered by the Psywave Tornado, Steven and his Jolteon rushed on in with blinding speed, catching the monster above them off guard.

Now they _directly_ under the behemoth.

"Zip!" Steven began as he raised his head, his Jolteon imitating its Trainer. "_THUNDEEEER!_"

With no defence above itself, the creature could only turn its head up to find one of the dark clouds letting out a huge bolt of lightning directly for its head and with the rain guiding it, it was a sure hit. Sure enough the Thunder attack hit and the monster screeched out horribly before falling to one knee from the simple _pressure_ of the attack, the electricity coursing through its body.

It even looked paralysed; unable to raise its fallen knee.

"Yes!" Steven grinned as he swiped a clenched fist in the air however the creature quickly swivelled its head 'round under the wide eyed boy. "Uh oh." he murmured and turned, his Jolteon following his movements. The Electric Type Pokémon shot forward like a bullet as before and broke out through the Psywave Tornado however it was not without consequence.

The creature's Psywave Tornado easily caught the wide eyed boy and his Jolteon.

Lifting the screaming pair into the air, it covered them in a purple Psychic light before finally shooting them forward like a thrown and discarded Poké Ball. Steven yelled in shut eyes as he crashed against his yelping Jolteon behind him into a building, sagging back downwards. Steven grunted as he landed with his poor fainted Pokémon, eyes blurry and pained. He shakily rose himself to his feet and gasped his breath as he did so, eyes narrowed at his watching enemy.

So many questions flew through his head as the heavy rain dampened his hair and hat.

Where was Blaine?

What _was_ this _thing?_

So much hate…

The boy recalled back his fallen Jolteon and shakily reached for another Poké Ball; his eyes watching it and the sea level slowly rising.

So it wanted to drown him did it?

Have to…

The boy growled as he rose up his head in a scowl, throwing forth the Poké Ball.

_BOM!_

He leapt painfully forward and issued the battle stance that Brinca taught him, landing on his hard shelled Blastoise. It landed easily on the water with buoyancy and Steven narrowed his red eyes as he watched the creature ahead of him.

Have to _set it free!_

"Oblivion!" he exclaimed and the Water Type nodded before shooting on forward. It skimmed the waves expertly and like its comrades managed to avoid the oncoming hazards. Steven's red eyes were caught at a rising wave of water and he yelled at his Blastoise to ride it. Sure enough the two were raised high but it wasn't enough.

He had to get higher.

"Ice Beam Oblivion! Carve a path!" he shouted out and the Blastoise nodded before shooting forth the said beam of ice forward. Using the cold air and the water near it, it easily made an ice floor large enough to support the surfing two and soon enough they quickly but dangerously slid on further upwards and above even the Psywave Tornado.

The creature seemed to notice this and its eyes grew desperate.

Now…

_Now!_

He leapt off his Blastoise. "_Hydro CANNON!_" the boy screamed out finally and without hesitation the Water Type back shifted in the air before blasting forth a trio of water beams. Further strengthened by the water nearby as well as the heavy rain, Steven allowed himself to become enveloped in the attack and soon enough he joined with it, shooting forward deep into the top and unguarded end of the Psywave Tornado.

Scowling desperately the boy kept a life hold on the Master Ball on his right arm and even as the creature shot forth Psycho Cuts at the Hydro Cannon he travelled with, he flinched not.

Finally – and soon as well – the boy reached the creature's position at last and yelled out as he outstretched his right hand forward as well as the Master Ball in his palm. Finally he got a good look at the monster though not for long as it stared back at him with widened eyes and scowled on back.

The Master Ball hit the wide eyed and teeth clenched monster thus turning it into red energy and trapping it within the sphere.

The Psywave Tornado, thus not powered anymore, was calmed along with the psychically charged volcano. Steven grunted as he forward flipped and landed ungracefully on his back on a small piece of land, cringing as he did so. He breathed out heavily and with his eyes shut even chuckled once or twice as he did so. The clouds began to lift from the sky and the rain slowly died down too.

Steven grunted lightly as he chanced an eye open to find his smiling Blastoise standing above and behind him, holding up the purple coloured sphere containing the monster inside.

The red capped boy could only laugh.

* * *

A/N: BLACK AND WHITE 2 TRAILER; WATCH IT.


	25. Burning Desire

**Chapter 25: Burning Desire**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_**"Today Is Okay"; Celio's Theme – Angel Beats OST.**__ Scene __**1**__._

_** "Daily Life" – Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **1.**_

_** "Viridian City" – Pokémon Anime OST. **Scene **2**._

_** "Oppression" – Dynasty Warriors 2 OST. **Scene **3** (Second Half)._

* * *

"_Mewtwo is far too powerful; we have failed to curb its vicious tendencies…"_

_With the old man, Blaine's help, Steven, Misty, Bill and Red manage to save Cinnabar Island and the Kanto region from total annihilation. In imprisoning the berserk monster Mewtwo, they have avoided world scale destruction and so have avoided a major tragedy but along with it they have discovered new information._

_Team Rocket was behind its malevolent powers as well as its vicious manner. Steven's sights on Giovanni have only hardened in resolve, not just for his own personal losses but for the good of the region and of the world._

_However now the red capped boy himself and his merry group recover in the damaged Cinnabar Island with the wounded but also recovering Blaine. They allow the old man some room and time to recover and question him on his as well as Mewtwo's story…_

_**Scene 1**_

"Thank you." Blaine nodded his head as he took the cup of tea from the frowning Misty's hand, eclipsing his left hand over the warm part, his head lowered. Misty smiled lightly and joined her companions at the table they sat at.

Since the recent disaster and halt of the monster's destruction of Cinnabar, the group had taken refuge in the Cinnabar Pokémon Center to rest and recover; Steven and Blaine most of all. The damage was extensive but not many people were injured or killed.

Blaine sighed as he lowered the mug onto the table in front of him after taking a sip. "What would you like to know?" he asked out as he shut his eyes, head lowered lightly.

"Well for starters… we'd like to know what it was that caused all that damage," Misty began as she frowned forward, fingers threading together on the table. Blaine raised his head and frowned back, nodding.

"Its project name was 'Mewtwo',"

"Mewtwo? Project?" Steven parroted out as he walked over and sat between the frowning Misty and Red.

"Where's Bill?" Misty asked as she turned her head momentarily. Steven turned in a frown of his own.

"Said he was tending to the wounded and had something else to do." he replied and the red head nodded before the two turned back their attention. Blaine continued uninterrupted.

"'Mewtwo' was cloned from the Divine Pokémon Mew." the old man began as he frowned seriously. Steven's red eyes slowly widened in recognition as he listened. "Its project was headed by myself and one other man; you may have met him," he claimed in his frown and Steven blinked.

"What's his name?"

"An old man by the name of Fuji," the researcher claimed as he frowned up at the three.

"Fuji…" Steven murmured out in narrowed, red eyes. Misty gasped in widened eyes as she recognised the name.

"The old man from Lavender!" she gasped out. Steven gaped along with her as he remembered from her words.

"Lavender is it?" Blaine chuckled, head held low as he did so. "What's the old coot up to now?"

"Giving tours of Lavender's Pokémon Tower and using it as a sanctuary for lost Pokémon," Misty smiled back as she joined her hands in her lap. Blaine's smile returned as he listened.

"Sounds just like him. I'd like to visit him but…" the old researcher began with a smile but soon turned into a disappointed frown as he lowered his head. Steven blinked.

"But what? He's your friend right? So go see him!" the boy naively grinned back.

"They worked for Team Rocket remember?" Misty hissed at him, annoyed. Steven blinked.

"Yeah but-"

"Going to visit him would be the same as condemning them both to _death,_" Misty hissed angrily and Steven blinked in wonder. Blaine could only chuckle.

"She's right unfortunately; I'm probably being watched even now." the old man claimed in a sigh as he raised his mug to take another sip, putting it down with both hands around the warm concoction. "They'd like nothing more than to kill us and bury their secret," he stated simply as he frowned down at his drink.

"But surely after _last night_ the ICL can't just… toss this aside like it-" Steven began in a narrow eyed frown as he leant over the table.

"Like it didn't even happen," Blaine frowned simply as he took another drink of his mug. Steven blinked.

"Huh? But-"

"He's right." a voice interrupted and the group turned their heads to find a frowning Bill above them, a similar dressed and faced young man next to him. "The ICL have _always_ turned a blind eye to issues when it suits them. My family's massacre was one of them," the Administrator finished as he watched the group. Blaine nodded in agreement and Misty and Steven only cringed in response.

"They sat back and done nothing as Kanto's Team Rocket murdered the Rivers family. They didn't begin to even pursue the matter when confronted; denied any responsibility or involvement," Blaine explained briefly as he frowned over his mug, taking another sip afterwards. Steven gave the young man in question a comforting and brotherly hand on the shoulder. Bill smiled wanly back.

"But… isn't there a way to bring this to anyone who'll _do_ anything?" Misty asked as she leaned forward on the table, fervent for an answer. The silent Red next to her nodded in agreement for an answer. "We seen a videotape that told us to alert-"

"The authorities." Blaine answered for her in shut eyes before he raised his head and opened them back up again. He frowned back at her stupefied look. "I was the voice and the writer of those Cinnabar journals but that was when I was more open to reason. More naïve," he finished in a sigh, lowering his head and eyes once more, hands joining his mug together.

"Well we can't just do _nothing!_" Steven exclaimed as he suddenly slapped a hand on the table in angry impatience, perhaps at his companions' apathy. "We gotta do something!"

"And we will." Blaine claimed again as he raised back up his head. Using his left hand, he went into the long white lab coat he still wore to bring out a purple coloured Poké Ball of some kind. Steven's red eyes widened.

The Master Ball!

The group looked around warily in case of any prying eyes but it seemed they were fine; it was still very early in the morning. Probably why Blaine even allowed the meeting in the first place.

"I will take what mistake I have created…" the former Gym Leader began as he narrowed his eyes down at the scowling and similar eyed creature inside. "And destroy it." he finished and made ready to pocket the sphere however a lightning quick grab from the narrow eyed Steven made him blink in wonder. "What are you-?"

"You can't!" he exclaimed back and the old man was suddenly taken aback.

"I realise how you _feel_ but this particular Pokémon is – no; it is not even a _Pokémon_ but-"

"If it can fit in _this?_" Steven interrupted as he thrust the small sphere in the Leader's face with an outstretched arm, red eyes narrowed. "Then it's a Pokémon," he claimed.

"But… it cannot be allowed to live; you've seen what it can-"

"We saw what Aerodactyl could do… didn't we?" Steven interrupted once again as he frowned more softly this time, lowering his sphere holding arm and placing his other to rest on his hip. The old man blinked back.

"Well yes but-"

"Aerodactyl and Mewtwo only seen the ugly side of humans; they only saw the wrong side of what we do." the red capped boy explained briefly, turning his frown into a light smile. "I was really bad myself not long ago but…" the boy began as he narrowed his eyes down at the ground. He rose back up his head and grinned as confidently as ever. "With the help of someone I'm managing to change; I'm trying to be a good person. You don't _have_ to stay a bad person Blaine," the young Trainer finished in a light smile. Blaine's eyes widened behind his glasses and he chuckled lightly before it turned into an attention drawing guffaw. Steven cringed as he did so and even watched around to be sure no one was watching.

Blaine finally finished up his laughter and outstretched an arm forward to take back the Master Ball, grinning as he did so. "I'm surprised there are even people like you still in this world. Cherish him and each other." he directed in his smile as he took the Master Ball from the blinking Steven. The boy soon regained his grin however and joined his arms behind his head as he exchanged his look with the similar faced Misty, Red and Bill.

"Oh!" the Administrator gaped in surprise before chuckling nervously in his mistake. He turned his head and allowed room for the smiling young man at his side to walk further in and next to the similar aged young man. "This is Celio; he's a very good friend of mine," the young man introduced as he smiled and placed his hands softly on the similar faced man in front of him.

"Hello all!" the young man in question smiled as he waved lightly with one arm. He was dressed simply in a light and icy blue chequered t-shirt with worn blue jeans. Light framed glasses adorned his face and he smiled at the group as he pushed his glasses up his face to fit more neatly.

"Wow you look just like him!" Steven laughed out as he walked up to the young man in question. Celio blinked as he turned his glass framed face 'round to stare down at the grinning boy. "You two could be brothers!" he grinned as he pointed between them rudely. Celio looked away in embarrassment and Bill chuckled nervously.

"He's my best friend! We've known each other for quite a while; childhood friends actually," the Administrator smiled.

"Yes Bill contacted me for the first time in years; he told me he owes you two a lot." the Computer Analyst explained in his smile as he raised a finger, directing his point to the two watching, Misty and Steven. Misty gained an embarrassed look on her face and tried to wave it off but Steven beamed in a confident raise of his arms, locked behind his head.

"Ahhh it was nothin'!" the boy grinned happily and Celio chuckled.

"He also tells me he's going to revive the ICL's Pokémon Computing Management Society as well!" the literate computing expert claimed as he let out a grin, turning his head halfway 'round as he did so, as if to gauge his friend's reaction. The young man in question chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head in light embarrassment.

"That's our Bill!" Steven grinned as he slapped a knocking hand on the gasping Bill's shoulder. Misty couldn't help but chuckle as she watched.

"B-B-Bill…" Red spoke up from her corner on the table. She spoke so little that everyone immediately turned their heads to watch her. "I-Is a g-good… p-person," she finished in a light smile, her cheeks turning red as she did so. Everyone smiled as she did so. Bill chuckled nervously again at the praise he was given.

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Steven grinned as he ran his hands up to rest behind his head in his old confident manner.

"Really?" Celio's voice reached his ears and Steven blinked as he felt the man behind him rest his left elbow on the boy's shoulder casually. He turned his head in a light grin and raised an eyebrow as he spoke. "Because Bill tells me you're never stuck for words in the wrong kind if you know what I mean," the young man grinned and Steven's own grin was suddenly wiped from his face. He turned fully in a light pout.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. The group burst out laughing. The attending Pokémon Center nurse looked on over in bewilderment before shaking her head in a sigh and continuing on with her work.

"Well…" Blaine began as he raised himself in an effort filled grunt, the chair behind him squeaking away. "We'll be off; we're better disappearing quickly so as to evade our pursuers," the old man claimed in a loss of his smile.

"But I-" Steven began to protest as he walked up to the old man but was laid to rest with a soft hand on his shoulder.

Blaine shook his head at the boy in a smile. "You don't need to worry; I'll teach this one what you've told me to. I'll show it the _good_ side of humanity and atone for my sins." the man smiled and Steven's own bright face came rushing back. "And here; you deserve this." he began again in his smile as he went into his coat to bring out another object.

An ICL Official League Badge.

Steven's red eyes snapped wide open in response and he turned his head up to the man above him in pure surprise. "_You're_ a Gym Leader?" he gasped out.

Blaine chuckled as he held the Volcano Badge in his left palm. "Is it really so hard to believe?"

"I think I see now." Bill spoke up as he watched from afar, eyes narrowed. Everyone turned to him. "Team Rocket must have some kind of connection with the ICL to give you your position in the League; it would help to avoid any unfavourable attention while you worked on Mewtwo," the Rivers elder claimed as he watched Blaine's frowning face.

"I suppose they do." Blaine murmured under his breath before sighing out. "But what's done is done and so am I," the man finished in a light smile.

"Here, here!" Steven grinned forward as he punched at the air. Blaine chuckled.

"If only more people were like you." the old man chuckled down at him in a kind of admiration as he handed the boy the Badge. "Never change; not for anyone," he claimed as he shut the boy's fingers around the Badge. Steven's grin was threatening to break his face as he stared back.

"You got it!" he shot back and the old man laughed.

"Well… I'm sure I'll see you all again at some point in time." the researcher claimed as he nodded his greeting and goodbyes to the group, receiving similar responses in kind. "And thank you Steven; for what it's worth I sincerely hope you manage to become the ICL Battling Champion," Blaine grinned down at the similar faced boy as he lowered his hand to be shook. Steven did so with a grin on his face and nodded.

"You'll see my face on posters! I won't let ya down!" the boy grinned back and Blaine laughed heartily.

"I hope so." he began in his smile before turning away, his lab coat tails flapping away in the wind. "Until next time!" the old man waved goodbye in his smile as he walked on off. The group waved goodbye similarly until he disappeared out the electric doors of the Pokémon Center, leaving them one party member short. Steven smiled as he watched the man leave.

He wanted to be sure the Mewtwo Pokémon would be taught rightly but…

A grin was slapped back on his face.

He was _sure_ Blaine would do it this time.

"Well I better be going too; I'm late as it is," Celio spoke up as he smiled and looked over his watch. Steven turned his head and frowned in a blink.

"Already?" Bill frowned in seeming disappointment.

"I'm afraid so yeah; the Network Centre in Knot Island needs maintenance," Celio replied as he winced and shrugged back at the young man.

"Well all right then. We'll make plans soon I promise!" Bill called and Celio grinned back over his shoulder as he pushed his glasses back up his face.

"Hey, hey, mister!" Steven grinned as he ran on up to the surprised and blinking Analyst.

"Yes?"

"Where are you from? What's 'Knot Island'?" he asked in a highly curious tone, shaking in place like a child on Christmas morning. Celio chuckled as he pushed his glasses further up his face in another showing of a seeming habit.

"It's in the Sevii Islands to the south of here; it's where I've just come from," the young man claimed in his amiable smile.

"Sevii Islands huh?" Steven murmured under his breath as he blinked in wonder. Celio nodded in his smile.

"I'd be happy to show you all sometime; Bill more than deserves a vacation," the Analyst claimed in a growing grin. The watching Bill couldn't help but grin back and shook his head in a disbelieving chuckle.

"Well I would but… we're kinda strapped for time," the boy murmured back in a sad tone as he laid his hands to rest behind his head. Celio blinked in wonder down back at the boy.

"Hm? Why's that?"

"It's because the ICL regional championships begin soon; in a few weeks or so," Misty answered for him as she walked on forward.

"Oh I see." Celio replied simply in a disappointed frown and soft tone. He regained his amiable smile as quickly as ever however and went into his shirt pockets. "Here anyway." he smiled as he handed out a total of four laminated cards.

"Ooooh." Steven intoned as he opened up his mouth to form an obviously curious 'o' as he inspected the four cards in his hand. Misty turned her head curiously as she took one from his open palms and had a quick look through it. The curious Bill and Red both joined her, taking their respective cards.

"What is it?" Misty asked simply as she blinked down at it, turning it over as if more information may have been printed on the back of it. Celio smiled as he folded his arms and explained.

"It's a pass! To allow you access on Vermilion's Sea Gallop Ferry; it takes you straight to Knot Island. Where I live!" the young man explained briefly in his smile, finishing with an edging thumb to his chest.

"Cool!" Steven exclaimed in a grin as he rose up the card to the sky as if it were a magical treasure of some kind, examining the rainbow design on it with great intensity.

"You didn't have to do this for us Celio," Bill spoke as he frowned up at the young man in question. The glasses wearing programmer in question only shook his head and smiled. Bill raised a brown eyebrow in response.

"I've missed you Bill; you're my best friend. We have a lot to catch up on." he finished in his smile and Bill could only smile back, agreeing silently. "Well, once you've finished your _own_ journey with your new friends first," he laughed out and folded his arms once again. Steven grinned as he pocketed his new Rainbow Pass, yanking in the gasping Bill by the arm. He wrung his right arm around the previously anti social young man's neck and pulled him in a brotherly embrace, grinning as he did so.

"Damn right he will!" the boy smirked back at the watching Celio. "We got dibs on him!" the red capped Battler smirked as he shook the older male above him. Bill couldn't help but laugh as he was manhandled by a boy half his age, his height so high he had to bend down just to be level with his companion. Misty chuckled as she watched, eliciting the also watching Red to give off a smile.

Celio burst out laughing as he watched the four. "You've gained some interesting friends Bill." the Analyst smiled as he wiped a tear off his eyes, reaffixing his glasses. The Administrator in question turned his head up in a nodding smile. "Don't ever lose them." the young man requested in a simple nod. Bill smiled and nodded wordlessly back. With that, the Network Specialist gave the group a final wave before nodding and heading out the Cinnabar Pokémon Center.

"Till next time!" Steven grinned as he waved off the young man. He exited through the electric operated doors of the Center and left the group at its usual quota.

"So where are we off to next then? You've almost completed your collection you know," Misty smiled as she went to retrieve her bag from the table across. Steven returned and grinned as he similarly walked on over.

"Well I'm not just _any_ battler ya know Mist," the boy grinned almost haphazardly. Luckily Misty knew he was joking and grinned along with him.

"The next ICL recognised Badge…" Bill began for the two as they walked on back to their group. He read out through an open map before looking up and folding the map back up, smiling as he did so. "Is in Viridian," he claimed.

Steven's red eyes widened in surprise. "Viridian?" he gasped out and his memory banks geared away like cogs.

The old building he was in with the _Professor!_

"Have you been there before?" Bill asked in a raise of his own eyebrow.

"Yeah; he's from Pallet remember? He'd have to at least passed Viridian on his way," Misty informed in a frown and Bill nodded.

"I've been there yeah but…" the boy in question began as he lowered his head and frowned, eyes narrowed. "There was no Leader there," he murmured out. Misty's frown turned into a light smile and she rested her elbow on his shoulder, much like he used to do. He turned his head up in a blink and before he could react she stole his red hat and placed it on her own head.

She turned her face in a complete mockery of his own, open mouthed smile and even shut one of her aquamarine eyes in a wink. Her hands were manipulated around in a two fingered peace sign, the thumb hanging out while she did so. Her right arm hung around the boy's glaring shoulder.

Bill and Red couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"That's _not_ funny," Steven pouted out as he glared over at her on his left. She grinned back at him and returned his cap, lowering her arms.

"My watching audience say otherwise," the red head smiled innocently back. Steven's eyes narrowed back at her before he sighed in defeat.

He shrugged back and frowned in a defeated expression as he did so. "Can't win 'em all I guess!" the boy claimed and even Misty burst out laughing. The red capped Trainer grinned at the results of his effective albeit bad joke.

_**2**_

"So what happens _then?_" the boy asked as he turned up his head to the walking Bill next to him.

"Well that's the thing; we're not sure." Bill smiled down at the boy next to him as he walked his hands in his pockets. "The ICL Pokémon League Tournament only gets held once every three years. Today's limit has ended in a few weeks,"

"Wow." Steven murmured. "How was last time's?"

"Well last time's was filled with all sorts of gimmicks and ideas to really make the Battlers think outside the box,"

"Yeah, like what?" Steven blinked. Bill grinned back and shook his head as he similarly shook his finger across the air.

"That'd be cheating; I can't tell you that," he grinned back and Steven groaned as he lowered his head. Misty smiled at the two.

"Don't worry Steve; I'm sure you'll do just fine," the red head smile as she placed a reassuring hand on his left shoulder. The boy blinked back at her.

"You really think so?" he murmured out and she blinked in wonder back at him.

He wasn't _confident?_

It was unusual to see him like this.

Then again considering the competition he'd be going up against…

Misty's smile returned just as quickly and she nodded back at him. "I know you will," she responded and he couldn't help but smile lightly back.

"As long as you believe in yourself." Bill interrupted and the boy turned his head up to his right to find the Administrator frowning down at him. He turned it into a quick grin however and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, like his companion. "Like you always have," he claimed and Steven's own smile came rushing back. He turned his red eyes down to find Red silently nodding and agreeing with the Administrator in question.

Steven chuckled lightly as he lowered his head, his arms on his back pack's shoulder rests tightly. "Thanks guys." he murmured out. Bill, Red and Misty all exchanged looks and smiled down at the boy in question.

The rest of the journey to Viridian continued in complete but comfortable silence.

* * *

"Well… here we are; Viridian." Bill intoned out as he read from the open map; closing it and putting it back within inside his clothes for easy retrieval. Steven's eyes instantly swivelled up to the building ahead and past the Viridian Pokémon Center.

The Viridian City Gym.

His red eyes narrowed and butterflies began to fly around inside his stomach. Just like always he had no idea who the Leader was here and even Misty – a former Leader _herself_ – couldn't help him out here. So…

So why did he feel so _worried?_

A sixth sense maybe…

Regardless the boy plastered a grin back on his face and raised his head, pointing towards the Center. "Let's go guys!" he grinned and Misty couldn't help but laugh.

"In case you didn't notice Steve, it's already past hours for _any_ challenge at _any_ Gym." the red head claimed in a smile. Steven's grin fell on his face and his right firm arm soon grew sloppy almost comically enough. "I should know after all," she pointed out with a light grin of her own.

"Fudge," the boy muttered under his breath as his eyes drooped lightly.

"Ha, ha." Bill chuckled and nodded anyway. "Come on; we can check in for the night at least and then challenge the Leader in the morning. Okay?" the Administrator smiled and Steven nodded reluctantly.

"Sounds good!" Misty answered for him in a smile of her own.

_**3**_

"_Your rare ability to deduce a person's words' value I mean; not your mediocre fighting power,"_

"_It was the Mew wasn't it?"_

"_What you're experiencing is understandable; you have experienced your first tantalising defeat."_

"_You have clashed with Team Rocket many times, Steven of Pallet."_

Steven tossed in the bed he slept in, eyes shut and cringing as he did so.

"_Now allow me to introduce you to its Don."_

He gasped deeply and his eyes snapped wide open as he was forced up from the nightmare. Awakened in a cold sweat, he breathed out more heavily as he ran his hands over his skinny chest, expecting to find a knife in him or a bullet.

Nothing thankfully.

He gasped out a sigh in pure, golden relief as he lowered his wild haired head down, eyes shut.

He didn't even want to say in his _head_ what was bothering him… but he knew it.

Oh he knew it.

The ebony dressed Mafia Don himself; his face continually grinned back at his fearful expression back in his dream.

Just don't think about it.

He sighed again lightly and turned his body back down, laying down to sleep once more. Eyes narrowed, he bore holes into the wall on his left, using his left arm as a second pillow. Again he saw the grinning face of the Team Rocket Don and growled as he swivelled his body around in a tossing motion of the opposite direction.

He sighed.

This wasn't working.

"All right fine." he muttered under his breath and raised himself up in an effort filled grunt. The boy rubbed his eyes of its sleep before swivelling his legs over and standing out in his boxer shorts. Quickly but quietly putting on his classic clothes of a black shirt, red and white jacket, worn blue jeans and his classic red cap. His yellow back pack was in the back and so not to arouse any suspicion or wake anyone, he made sure not to travel for it.

Instead he very quietly made his way to the stairs and walked on down, making sure he had his belt for his Poké Balls. He cursed quietly as he found it was absent but went into his jeans' pocket to find a Poké Ball on its own.

Oblivion's.

Better not chance going back up or he'd wake them up.

He frowned as he quietly walked on out of the Center, pressing the button to be let out of the electric doors.

If he couldn't sleep then he'd best train for the ICL Tournament.

* * *

"All right… one more time Oblivion." the boy gasped out as he frowned forward. His Blastoise nodded and began to charge up its Hydro Cannon attack, the trio of water beams appearing in its dual cannons as well as its mouth.

He would have had the Blastoise go ahead with its move had he not heard movement behind him.

The boy gasped and Oblivion caught on almost immediately; it halted its attack and like its master, swivelled its head 'round in a narrow eyed glare.

Steven's red eyes widened as he saw the sight that lay before him.

A grinning Giovanni Vittorio himself stood just yards away from him, the Rhyperior he used from before behind him, growling and eyes narrowed. Dressed in the previous garb Steven first saw him in, he looked every bit as suave as he did in Celadon's Team Rocket branch. For a second Steven thought he was in another dream but something told him he wasn't; the look in the smirking Giovanni's eyes were real enough.

This was real _right now_.

No words were even needed on Steven's end; he narrowed his red eyes at the man behind him, his body turned half way. The wind whipped at his long brown hair beneath his cap as he mixed his own glare with Giovanni's smirk, infuriated at the man's simple smirk.

He must have known exactly what he was thinking.

Steven's fiery crimson eyes locked with Giovanni's calm and collected ebony and the two simply stood in Viridian's main empty city.

* * *

A/N: GIOVANNI'S IN BLACK AND WHITE 2 OHHHH MY GOOOOOOD


	26. Striking the Red Hot Iron

**Chapter 26: Striking the Red Hot Iron: Steven's Resolve**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music: **_**"Oppression" – Dynasty Warriors 3 OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_**"Rise Above The Storm" – Beyblade OST. **__Scene __**1**__. (Second Half onwards)._

_Chapter Boss Battle Theme._

_ **"Ghetsis" – Pokémon Black and White OST. **Scene **1**. (Latter end)_

_** "My Song" – Angel Beats OST. **Scene **2**._

* * *

"_You have clashed with Team Rocket many times, Steven of Pallet. Now allow me to introduce you to its Don."_

_A nightmare and one with consequence; the restless Steven leaves the Viridian Pokémon Center a night before his final Gym Challenge to simply train and in the midst of all it he finds the very challenge he'd been waiting for all this time._

_Since his harrowing defeat at Team Rocket's Celadon City branch, Steven has been given a second chance in to challenging the organisation's leader, Giovanni Vittorio._

_Steven remembers every bit of training he has put to use to this point and prepares to lay his life on the line…_

* * *

_**Scene 1**_

Steven's red eyes narrowed hard at his watching enemy. He grinned superiorly back and Steven worked hard to wonder exactly what it was that Giovanni Vittorio was thinking.

But just like at Celadon he couldn't tell.

His right hand clenched hard at his side and his eyes hardened; he'd find out eventually regardless.

"Didn't think I'd see you out here." the red capped boy called on over, his words carried in the wind. The black hat man merely smirked back at him across the field. "In fact truth be told I never thought I'd see you again," he added on in his glaring frown and the man chuckled ominously, his voice carried.

"Have you thought about my proposal?" he asked on over, business as usual it would seem. Steven's red eyes narrowed back at the man ahead of him both suspiciously and angrily.

"Yeah," he simply answered.

"And what is your answer?"

"_I am Giovanni Vittorio, Don of Team Rocket and your new leader,"_

Steven took his time in responding. He stood with his red eyes glaring back at Giovanni's black before finally opening up his mouth to reply. "No thanks. Team Rocket's not my thing," he finished in a lightly growing grin. Giovanni's own grin soon fell from his face and he frowned on back, the wind pushing his coat tails in the air ominously.

Silence.

"It will be." Giovanni finally responded eyes narrowed. "I will make sure of that." he finished before pointing forward with a free hand, his other resting on his cane. His Rhyperior at his side slowly stomped on forwards, eyes narrowed and ready for battle. Steven gave a similar response; his Blastoise doing as commanded before the two soon went into a battle stance that Brinca had previously taught him. Giovanni watched on, eyebrow rising.

He had to win here; he had trained for this day, this very moment.

He couldn't lose; not here.

"Oblivion." the boy whispered out, red eyes narrowed. "Ready?" he asked and it nodded slowly but surely, its own eyes narrowed.

* * *

"Finish it in the one attack! Hydro _Cannon!_" the boy roared out, thrusting forward a finger as he did so. The Blastoise easily fired off a round forward after practicing it earlier. It splashed hard against the narrow eyed Rhyperior and it brought up its two blocky arms to defend against the water torrent attack. Steven grinned in relief as it hit and he grinned up at his enemy before gasping suddenly.

Giovanni only smirked back at him silently.

But…

Why?

The Rhyperior suddenly exploded in a puff of smoke from its previous position and Steven gasped in widened eyes as he registered this.

His Blastoise's attack was _wasted!_

Suddenly and without any other warning, the Rhyperior reappeared at the side of the attack, unharmed. It rushed at the two with both arms joined at its side, lowered and all.

"No!" Steven exclaimed in growing panic. "Protect!" he tried but as he'd already known, the Hydro Cannon attack took too much out of the Pokémon and so it could only stand and take the oncoming attack.

"Rock Wrecker." Giovanni's almost bored voice intoned out through the empty field and Steven's eyes snapped wide open.

He remembered that move!

The red aura rock that the Rhyperior began to materialise in its two arms soon grew bigger and with no time at all was at least the size of its body.

No! If that hit…!

"Oblivion! You have to move!" he exclaimed but the grunting Water Type in question fell onto its one knee from the sheer pressure of the attack, eyes narrowed.

He wasn't ready for this.

_Oblivion_ wasn't ready for this.

They couldn't do this!

As if to add to that, a memory quickly resurfaced in his brain and he thought through with lightning speed.

"_Believe in yourself and never lose that conviction!"_

His own words.

He couldn't…

He couldn't give up yet!

Grabbing onto his Blastoise's hard shell he gave it a helping hand and leapt to his top left, narrowly evading the wide eyed Rhyperior's Rock Wrecker attack. It shot forth the huge red aura rock at their previous position like it was a beam of some kind, easily tearing up the ground and everything on it. Steven's eyes stayed widened as he watched it, cringing at what could have been.

Thank Mew.

He reassumed his battle stance and narrowed his eyes forward.

"Horn Drill." Giovanni's monotone voice echoed in the empty field and Steven's eyes widened in a gasp as he registered the name of the attack. The narrow eyed Rhyperior snapped its head 'round and began to rotate the drill around its head at lightning speed. It rushed forward, its head held low in an intimidating manner.

"Catch it Oblivion!" Steven gasped out as he took a step back. The narrow eyed enemy wasn't rushing for his Pokémon.

It was going for _him_.

The boy snapped his head 'round behind him to find the watching Giovanni smirking silently back at him.

He meant this!

Life or death!

Regardless his narrow eyed Blastoise leapt in between the two and with lighting quick reflexes it managed to catch the growling Rhyperior's horn midway, ultimately halting the Rock and Ground dual Type's march.

"Yes!" Steven exclaimed in a quick bout of relief but it was far from over; the grinning Giovanni ordered on through.

"Strength." his quiet voice echoed behind the boy. Steven's eyes widened once more as he saw his enemy grin forward, grasping the gasping Blastoise's sides with its rocky arms.

"Oblivion you too!" Steven exclaimed in rising panic. Sure enough however his Blastoise went on through with the order and moved its arms from the previously drilling horn to its enemy's own sides. Unfortunately that was all the catalyst that Giovanni needed.

"Now finish him."

The Rhyperior's horn began rotating again and finishing on through with 'Strength' it lifted the gasping Blastoise up effortlessly and spun it around before tossing the hard shelled turtle behind itself. With no other interruptions, the ever angry Rhyperior charged at the wide eyed Steven, the horn in its forehead rotating fiercely.

Steven couldn't even move due to the huge bundle of fear that collected at the bottom of his feet. Frozen to the spot he could only watch on as the enemy Rhyperior rushed at him angrily. Something inside him snapped however and the boy swerved his body around at the right moment to evade the narrow eyed Rhyperior's stab attack, gasping as he did so.

He really meant to _kill_ him!

As he spun around to evade the many slashes and stabs the Rhyperior gave out, he caught glimpses of the grin that Giovanni gave him while watching him dance around in evasion. His teeth ground in a mixture of anger and fear.

Damn him!

Luckily his Blastoise raced to save the day; using the water at its feet as if it were some kind of energy to be secreted out, it managed to rush forward at blinding speed and with further water stored in its tail it growled as it leapt in the air and came down on the wide eyed and scowling Rhyperior with its tail.

The Aqua Tail attack.

The Rhyperior was forced to turn its attention over to the similar faced Blastoise; it rose up its right and thin but rocky arm to catch the water covered tail and soon paid the consequences. The water droplets fell in droves on the gasping Rhyperior's face and Steven grinned forward.

It wasn't just two times Supereffective either!

Giovanni's grin at his side however made him worry.

Shouldn't _he_ be worried?

He gulped; maybe this wasn't the only Pokémon he had in his arsenal right now.

Without orders needed, the screaming Rhyperior raised up the levitating Blastoise in the air with incredible physical ability. Using the move Strength once more it yelled as it brought the similar yelling Blastoise down hard, crashing its hard shell on the ground.

"Oblivion!" its master called out in wide eyed worry. The injured Pokémon in question grunted in shut eyes as it was smashed by the attack but it seemed fine regardless.

"Thunderpunch," Giovanni's voice echoed once more and Steven gasped.

"Double Team!" Steven exclaimed in desperation. Sure enough the Blastoise split into two and Rhyperior's Thunderpunch attack struck a clone of the Water Type turtle, kicking up grass and dust in the air. Giovanni's grin slowly fell off his face and in presuming impatience; he hit his cane off the ground.

"Hammer Arm,"

"Double Team!"

Different attack, same result. The Rhyperior's rocky thin arm smashed hard against the ground where the rolling Blastoise used to be and using the opportunity, the turtle recovered.

"Yes!" Steven grinned forward as he pumped a confident fist.

"You cannot win,"

The boy snapped his head 'round in a narrow eyed glare. The similar faced Giovanni stared back at him, eyes boring a hole in him. He tried not to be intimidated by the Mafia Don but it was difficult.

Very difficult.

"I'm not the same as I was before; me _or_ Oblivion," Steven answered quietly back in a narrow eyed glare. Giovanni glared on back silently for a few agonising seconds before finally answering.

"You will _always_ be weak." he finally answered and Steven's face twitched as he listened. "Unless you finally see what you _are_ and learn from me… you will _always_ be this," the Don claimed confidently as he glared at the boy. Steven blinked as he listened.

What he _was?_

'The Truth'.

His red eyes narrowed slowly back; clever.

"Oblivion!" he called out, his eyes still boring holes at Giovanni's before he finally turned his head around to face the battling Pokémon. "Strength!" he exclaimed out and the Pokémon rushed on up forward to grasp the growling Rhyperior.

"Match it Dozer." Giovanni called out quietly as he narrowed his eyes forward.

Steven smirked as he watched the Rhyperior fail to catch his Blastoise in time and so the Blastoise – though with tremendous effort – managed to overpower its wide eyed enemy; it growled as it brought down the grunting Rhyperior smashing to the ground.

"We're weak are we?" Steven smirked over his shoulder at the silently glaring Giovanni. He spoke not and instead his Rhyperior did his talking for him; it kicked the grunting Blastoise back a few steps skidding and with surprising speed it dug at the ground with intense ferocity, kicking up dust and boulders. Steven grunted as he rose up his arms to block the oncoming dust, his Blastoise doing the same and soon before they even noticed their enemy had disappeared.

Steven and his Blastoise snapped their heads around simultaneously looking for the disappeared Rhyperior and finding it not.

"Damn!" he mouthed out in a growl.

"Drill Run!"

The red capped boy's gasp echoed in the empty city and sure enough the Rhyperior appeared under the wide eyed Blastoise, its horn rotating once again.

"Protect!" Steven yelled out in growing panic. Sure enough the Rhyperior's horn grinded against the narrow eyed Blastoise's raised wall of protective light, sending them both into the air though not far. Soon the two landed and as they did, the Blastoise narrowed its eyes as it grabbed hold of the grunting Rhyperior's rotating drill once more, halting its rotation.

This one _had_ to work!

Because otherwise…

He shook his head and pushed it out of his mind as he watched the two before growling forward in a scowl. "Now Oblivion!" he called and the Pokémon in question began to charge on through its usual trio of water beams. "Show me the power of the Hydro Cannon _attack!_" the boy yelled out as he pushed a fist forward at the end of his sentence, as if to add to that effect.

Finally the Blastoise finished its charging and fired off its next round of the Hydro Cannon attack and this time the wide eyed Rhyperior was caught off guard by the attack. The attack hit with point blank range and it roared as it was hit hard by the attack, sending it flying back. It crashed into the small incline wall behind it and sagged to the ground in a shut eyed grunt, water droplets falling off its body as it did so.

"Yes!" Steven grinned forward as he pumped a confident fist.

"No," a voice interrupted, deep and commanding and echoing in the dark area; Giovanni's. Steven gasped as he watched his Rhyperior stand back up from the attack, shaking itself off from the attack, eyes narrowed angrily.

"_What?_" the boy screamed out in a horrified stare, unable to believe it. Giovanni's smirk slowly regained as he watched.

"You never listened but even now it's true." the Don claimed in his grin and Steven gasped as he cringed in his stare. "You're finished." he added on in a dark eyed whisper. "Rock Slide!"

"N-No O-Oblivion!" Steven gasped out but it was beyond too late; the tired Water Type fell to its knees roughly from the pain of its fatigue raising attack and so was struck by the many rocks shot out by the narrow eyed Rhyperior. It grunted as it was sent tumbling to the floor and Steven did his best to evade the next barrage of rocks but it was all over; he was struck in the face hard and he gasped out long and brutally, eyes widened and blood falling from his lip.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Giovanni continued in his merciless attack and his Rhyperior sent forth yet more rocks and boulders. These ones connected again but this time with his chest and right arm.

Hard.

He was soon sent flying back, yelling as he was smashed hard into the small incline wall behind him leading to Route One. The rocks smashed his arm and chest unyieldingly, eliciting a wide eyed scream of pure pain from the boy. Giovanni watched on silently with a small grin as the boy grunted and sagged downwards, the rocks finally losing their murderous pressure on his body. But it wasn't enough as he was shown to be limping in his shaky raise to his feet, eyes narrowed. He grunted as he tried to rise up his right arm to use his stance with but he couldn't seem to.

"_No!"_ the boy's thoughts exploded in his head as he widened his eyes in horror down at his arm.

It couldn't be _broken?_

The watching Giovanni smirked back at him, as if he knew exactly what was wrong with him.

_Damn!_

"You never listened." Giovanni intoned on over at the heavily breathing and hunched over Steven. He glared on back, blood hanging from his lip, right arm and his head. "And now you will pay the consequence for your actions," he claimed in his growing smirk.

Even when he listened to Giovanni's voice, the feeling in his heart told him he was right; he couldn't win this battle.

But still he fought on.

"I'm not…" the boy began in his heavy breathing, eyes narrowed. "Givin' up yet," he managed out and chose to opt for his other arm.

Time to be flexible.

As if hearing its master, the fallen Blastoise grunted as it raised itself ahead of him and began to imitate him once more.

Steven growled in pain as he rose up his left arm slowly and painfully though not without results. He widened his eyes forward and with his left palm pushed forward instead of his broken right, he ordered on.

"You may have survived that last attack but this one is _sure_ to finish you!" he yelled out and his Blastoise charged in the trio of water beams once more. "_Final ATTAAAAAAAACK!_" the boy screamed out as he pointed his left palm forward. The Blastoise shot forth its next and final round of the Hydro Cannon attack.

"Rock Wrecker!" Giovanni exclaimed out for the first time and his Rhyperior finished charging forth its own beam of destruction. It finally burst it forward in a dazzling show of sparks and rocks, blasting a beam forth to counteract Oblivion's Hydro Cannon. The two attacks met in mid air and shook the very ground that Steven stood on.

This feeling while he watched.

It was the same when he challenged Ross back at Pallet's Laboratory.

In the back of his mind he knew he couldn't win and the look Giovanni's face was all that confirmed it.

Sure enough the Rhyperior's Rock Wrecker beam began to overtake his Blastoise's Hydro Cannon and Steven found himself screaming as the rock beam crashed past his own attack. Before it did however, the boy's Blastoise raised up a Protect shield at the last minute to absorb some of the impact. It worked halfway but the rest of the attack pushed on through and _shattered_ the wall of light like it was simple glass.

It was over.

The beam enveloped the screaming Steven and his shut eyed Blastoise, tearing through their bodies like a razor whirlwind. When it was finally over, Steven fell to the ground on his knees and arms, covered in cuts everywhere and breathing heavily like he'd just run a mile. His Blastoise fell after him but it wasn't so lucky; it dropped unconscious presumably from all the power it gave out, wounded everywhere. Steven gasped out, sweating and bleeding as he shakily tried to crawl on over, rising up his arm to his fallen Pokémon.

"O-O-Oblivion." he gasped out as he shook terribly, like a leaf in the wind. A well polished black shoe suddenly came down on his left arm however and the boy yelled in further pain as he was brought down on his left side, shaking again as he did so. He rose up his head shakily to find the frowning Giovanni above him, his growling Rhyperior at his side.

"You ignored me and continued to fight even though you _knew_ you couldn't win. _Now_ look where you are." the Mafia Don began in a narrow eyed glare. Steven's bloody face twitched as he watched him in a light scowl; the best he could manage given his current condition. "The Wheel of Fate isn't kind enough to you for you to warrant this behaviour. You should have listened to me,"

"W-Wheel… of F-Fate?" the red capped Trainer gasped out as he watched his enemy's expression. Giovanni's black shoe crunched harder on the boy's fallen arm, causing him to yell out further in pain.

"Whatever conceited notions you hold of my and Rocket's defeat are best abandoned soon; not even your little companion Oak can challenge _me_." the Rocket Boss claimed in his narrow eyed glare. Steven barked angrily back as primal as he could manage, teeth bearing and eyes narrowed hatefully. Giovanni's smirk slowly gained back. "You are The Truth for a reason and you _will_ see things my way whether you want to… or _not_." the man finished in a narrow eyed, glaring whisper.

Before he could continue however, noise began to erupt behind the two and even Giovanni, the cool and composed Mafia Don, snapped his head 'round in a narrow eyed glare. Over the hill and near Viridian's Pokémon Center were a quick gathering of many people; most of them orderlies from the Center itself. Giovanni growled at this interruption and turned his glare back on the blinking boy below him. He reached down and yanked the boy up by the collar, eyes boring holes once again. Steven stared tiredly and painfully back.

"You are Rocket's property whether you like to believe it or not. You will _never_ be your own man. You rely on other people's powers too much and only I can be learned from." the man began and Steven groaned as he listened, his eyelids growing heavy. His mind felt sick and his body weak. "No one will believe you." he spoke out in a growing grin, his voice and face turning fuzzy. "I will see to that." Giovanni's now fuzzy voice finished and he grinned in his ominous chuckle before tossing aside the boy back to the ground. Steven grunted as he landed on his right side, cringing his eyes shut as he did so.

"O-O-" the boy tried out. His head pounded like a drum and he began to feel disorientated as the man and his Rhyperior disappeared from view. The other voices he heard that rushed toward him grew even fuzzier and he outstretched his one good left arm out to reach his fallen Blastoise vainly, wincing as he did so. "Obl-iv…ion." he gasped out before finally dropping his shaking arm and head, falling unconscious.

_**2**_

"_No one will believe you. I will see to that."_

The boy gasped awoke and his wild red eyes danced around the area he was in, fearful all of a sudden. He couldn't seem to move much of his body.

"Settle down!" a voice interrupted and Steven craned his neck up as hard as he could to see who it was. A frowning Misty sat at the bed's edge, an open book in her lap.

"Wha-" he gasped out in blinking, widened eyes.

Where was he? Why was he here?

Misty moved up from her seat and walked on over to his left side, bringing her chair with her for a place to sit. Running her soft hand over his, she smiled up at him as his eyes darted around the room.

"I was- Why here- I-" the boy stammered out as he gasped continually.

"Shh." the red head cooed as she smiled. Steven began to calm down though slowly and his breathing stabilised as his memory came back to him.

He had sneaked out to train for his final Gym Battle in Viridian's outskirts and then…

Then he had fought Giovanni.

By now he had calmed down fully and his head lowered lightly, his red eyes losing their fire. Misty turned her head curiously as she watched him.

"Are you okay?" she asked and the boy nodded in spite of the huge cast he wore on his right arm and the numerous bandages that covered his body.

"Just my pride." he murmured out and Misty smiled wanly. "I couldn't beat him; not even now," he murmured again and his face twitched as he said it.

Hurt even _to_ say it.

"We heard." the red head smiled and Steven turned his head in a surprised blink. "It was only towards the end that I woke up and I managed to get the orderlies out to help you. You looked near dead," she finished in a morbid whisper, eyes narrowed at him worriedly. Steven's red eyes widened as he listened to her.

She did all this for him, even now after all he had done to her.

His head lowered again and he guiltily turned it away from her gaze, unable to meet it. She blinked at him wonderingly. "Misty." he began out in a pained murmur, his eyes cringing continually as he stared down at the quilt. His free left hand gripped the quilt hard as he spoke. "I'm sorry," he gasped out and tears began to strike at his eyes, falling in small drops on the quilt below him. Misty blinked at him.

"What for?" she simply asked, dumbfounded.

"For everything." he ground out of his clenched teeth, his eyes hidden under his wild brown hair. "All I've done is make things worse for Bill, Red and especially you." the boy spoke out and Misty blinked for a second before a smile slowly surfaced on her face. "If I was in your position I probably wouldn't _care_ about me anymore," he gasped out, his body lightly shaking as he spoke.

"Steven," Misty murmured out softly, smiling as she did so.

"All I do is _screw_ things up and-"

"Steven,"

"I wouldn't blame any one of you if you just up and left me because I'm just-"

"Steven!" Misty shouted out this time, her voice hardened and her eyes narrowed. Steven gasped out of his rant and turned his teary eyed face over in his surprised expression. He found her turning her glare into a light smile as she ran her hand over his own, softly joining it with hers. "Apology accepted." she simply smiled back at him.

Steven's body grew limp for the briefest of moments as he stared bug eyed at the smiling Misty on his side, almost unable to believe her words or her expression. Finally however he accepted her words as truth and laughed out shakily, the previous tears on his face sprinkling out as he did so.

"Stop crying you big baby; I said I accepted your apology didn't I?" Misty chuckled up at him and he used his left hand to wipe at the tears on his face, laughing all the while.

"I'm s-sorry but I can't stop," he laughed out and lowered his arm in just giving up. Misty turned her head in a light smile.

"What am I gonna do with you?" she asked mockingly and he laughed back, relief pouring into his voice, heart and entire being just from her words. "Just rest okay? You've done enough today," the red head smiled up at him. He nodded and smiled back.

"Yeah." he simply nodded and lay down on his good, left side. Misty sat closer and smiled down at him as she took his outstretched left arm in her own and softly ran her thumb across it. His cheeks flushed as he watched her and noticed she had the same reddish colour to her own cheeks.

The embarrassment wasn't there though; not this time.

But why not?

His thoughts were cut short as Misty began to hum a tune to herself, her fingers gliding across his palm softly.

"What's that?" he murmured out groggily as he smiled lightly. She smiled down at him.

"It's a lullaby." she answered and he blinked lazily. "My parents used to sing it to me," the girl claimed in her smile and Steven's own smile was soon lost to sleep, his eyelids growing heavy as she continued to sing.

"Sounds…" he began sleepily. "Nice." the boy managed out before shutting his eyes to the quiet melody of her voice, the atmosphere and the general chemistry.

Her voice was the last thing to go through his head before his mind fell dead to the world.

* * *

A/N: DAWWWWWWWWW


	27. A Promise and to the Pokémon League

**Chapter 27: A Promise and to the Pokémon League**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

**Featured Music:**_**"Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_**"Route 26" Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**2**__. (First Half)._

_** "Indigo Plateau" –** Scene **2**. (Second Half)._

_** "All Across the Nation" –** **Beyblade OST. **Scene **3.**_

* * *

_Steven meets Giovanni once again in single combat and barely escapes with his life and instead of finishing him off as expected, Giovanni instead gives a cryptic message among _this;

"_You are Rocket's property whether you like to believe it or not. You will never be your own man. You rely on other people's powers too much and only I can be learned from."_

_Giovanni's words hang heavy over Steven's heart but he soon forgets them and instead focuses his body on healing for the upcoming ICL Pokémon League Competition. The strangest thing however is after his personally motivated battle with the Mafia Don was that he had woke up with the ICL officially recognized Earth Badge._

_It makes him ask himself serious questions._

_Why is Giovanni a potential ICL Gym Leader? And how has his organization gone under the ICL radar for so long?_

_Steven can only wonder._

_Regardless however, Steven tries his best to put it all out of his mind as his body finally heals for the ICL Pokémon League Competition…_

* * *

_**Scene 1**_

"Nice and easy." Misty murmured as she helped the wincing boy step off the incline and walk down the light hill.

Another morning of exercises.

The previous guilt he felt at using Misty earlier had only grown with each morning as she helped him day in and day out.

It was almost unbearable.

He wanted to tell her he could do this on his own and to reinstate his independence but he knew if he did he'd say it in some way that would throw _everything_ back in her face.

So he shut his mouth and done what she told him, at least for now.

"That's it." Misty smiled as the boy walked on shakily forwards, the bandages still around his body and his right arm still in a cast. It used to hurt badly when he moved it but now he seemed to be fine.

All thanks to her.

He gulped down a ton of saliva as he saw her smile at him.

It had already been a few weeks since his battle with Giovanni and though he'd given the authorities that probed him questions a description and a name he knew somehow that Giovanni would be ignored.

Either that or he'd evade them anyway.

Giovanni was a man not to be screwed with; in the short meetings Steven had with him, he had learned that quickly and poignantly. As if that wasn't bad enough either he had woken up with Kanto's final ICL officially recognised Earth Badge too.

It all seemed too convenient.

As if he was being _led_ to the Championships.

He sighed and shook his head, ridding himself of his worries and thoughts; focus more on healing, he thought instead.

Sure enough however as the two reached the end, Steven found himself moving much easier than the past few weeks. He supposed his exercises were really paying off now which was good.

The first bit of decent news since his life being saved.

"That's good!" Misty complimented in another smile and Steven chuckled nervously back as he gave her a light smile in return. "I think maybe you'll even be let go today! It'd be a great start to challenging the League in a few weeks right?" the red head asked in an amiable smile and Steven felt a grin returning as he nodded.

"Yeah!" he agreed. "Sounds good!"

"That's the spirit," the former Leader chuckled at him before the two turned and she helped him up. However she allowed him to walk the rest of the way himself though he wasn't as brisk as he usually was.

It was to be expected however.

While he walked, he became more clear of everything precious to him and everything he seemed to take for granted. He smiled as a breeze hit his face, sending up his hatless headed and wild hair into the air, flailing in the wind.

Felt amazing just to be alive.

"Steve?"

"Hm?" the boy murmured out as he turned his head in an inquisitive blink. Misty's voice of course; the concerned red head stood and even stopped walking alongside him, frowning at him seriously. "What's up?" he simply asked in a wondering blink.

"I want you to promise me something," the girl frowned over at him and he turned his head curiously.

"Anything; name it,"

"Even if you win this tournament competition… even if you become Champion and even if you don't…"

"Yeah?"

"Resign,"

Steven could only blink his red eyes at her before he finally managed some kind of response at her hard frown and lightly narrowed eyes.

"R-Resign?"

"Yes," Misty responded simply as she nodded her head.

"But battling's my life; I can't just-"

"The Viridian Gym; it's still empty." the red head interrupted and Steven stopped in his tracks with a surprised, wide eyed gasp. Instinctively he turned his red eyes over to the dirty Gymnasium in question.

She was right.

But what was she getting a-

His eyes widened in a silent gasp.

So _that's_ what she wanted…

He met Misty's hard earned gaze with an initial look of hardness of his own however once he realised just how much _she_ had sacrificed for _him…_

It was only fair.

He lowered his red eyes and lost his hard expression before gaining a more softer one in favour, smiling at her as he did so. Nodding at her he smiled. "I'll apply for the Gym Leader job after the competition." he claimed and she raised a red eyebrow. "I promise," he even added as he smiled at her. A similar smile finally reappeared on her face and she continued to walk alongside him, this time however slipping her hand into his left.

"Thank you." she whispered in her smile as they walked. Steven's face grew red and he began to get hot under the collar and most of everyone that they passed all gave them brief smiles. Something in his chest stirred when she held his hand or when she was close to him like this; it made him feel all warm, fuzzy and even a little giddy. He forced the jumpy emotions down as hard as he could however as he pondered their meanings.

What _did_ it mean? It was something he'd never felt before.

Oh well whatever.

The two had soon reached back to their starting point; the Viridian Pokémon Center. Luckily and almost suspiciously, one of the orderlies stood just outside the main doors, watching with a light grin, a raised eyebrow and folded arms. She watched on with a grin.

"What? Didn't trust me?" Misty asked over in a growing grin of her own. The orderly only chuckled at her before leaning down to give the boy a hand up.

"How are you feeling today after your exercise?" she asked in a frown as she helped the boy up the small hill. He frowned up at her.

"Okay I guess,"

"And this; does this hurt?" she asked as she pressed lightly on his right arm. He cringed just a little but shook his head and the orderly turned her head curiously. "You seem to be fine… and your x-rays this morning were favourable." the orderly claimed as she gave the boy a quick examination with her eyes. Steven frowned on up at her in a blink as he waited. She finally smiled and nodded. "I think you can be let go today," she claimed and Steven grinned on back.

"Great! Now I can be ready for the League,"

"Oh? You're participating in this year's challenge?" the orderly asked in a light grin as she moved to taking off his bandages and the sling around his arm.

"Yeah." he answered in his own smile. "It's my first time," he admitted and the nurse couldn't help but grin back.

"You'd better watch out,"

"Huh? Why?" Steven blinked down at her. She grinned up at him and Misty narrowed her aqua eyes suspiciously as she listened.

"The competition's fierce I hear this year; there's battlers coming in from all over the country and not just this one either," she spoke as she grinned, attending to his arm. She managed to take off the sling easy enough and he was finally allowed room to move it but he instead focused more on her words.

Fierce?

"What do you mean?" he simply asked in a wondering blink.

"Ex runner ups and ex Champions from all kinds of countries are coming this year; the ICL are calling it 'The Droika Cup,'"

"The… Droika Cup?" Steven parroted in a wondering blink. The orderly nodded up at him in a growing grin.

"Mm-hm. They always name the next Tournament after the previous Champion in homage,"

"Huh." the red capped boy murmured under his breath as he lowered his head. The orderly smiled silently as she worked at the rest of his bandages. "Will… he be competing this year?" he asked as he raised his head back up from his thoughts. The woman shrugged in a frown.

"Who knows? Lance I think his name is?" she frowned as she halted her work for a few seconds to think about the name, eyes moving skyward. "Or was it Lancelot? I forget." she sighed. "Anyway, you'd better watch; there's gonna be some stiff competition this year," she ended in a grinning chuckle.

"Yeah?" Steven winced down at her and she nodded in a knowing grin.

"Like you wouldn't believe." she finished before sighing and standing up as she took off the last of the bandages, wrapping them 'round her arm as she did so. "Phew! Now that, _that's_ finished I'll just go and get the medication for you; don't go away," the orderly smiled down at him. Steven nodded in his beat down frown, cringing lightly as he did so however he blinked as he felt a hand fall upon his shoulder.

"Don't worry about what she said Steve; I used to be a Gym Leader so I know more than she does," the former Leader smiled at him amiably and the boy couldn't help but smile back.

She _was_ right; she was even employed by the ICL.

"Thanks Mist." the boy grinned back and she chuckled lightly, perhaps at his sudden gain in confidence.

Had to keep it up.

"You see?" a voice laughed ahead of them and the two's attention was brought forward. A laughing Red and Bill were seen walking down the steps from inside the Viridian Pokémon Center. Bill's face was turned to his giggling companion's and his arms were up in the air as he gestured his unknown previous point, grinning as he did so. "It's just one of those things I guess!" he laughed along with her as they walked for the open exit, unaware of the watching and smiling two.

The laughing Bill almost bumped into the smiling Steven however he caught himself at the last minute and gasped in widened eyes as he halted his companion in a similar expression.

"Yo!" Steven chuckled as he watched their faces turn from surprised to shock. "What's up?" he asked in his knowing grin and Bill winced as he watched the boy.

"Are you… all right?" he simply asked in a turn of his head and Steven nodded, placing a hand on his hip as he did so. Misty stood next to him in an approving nod of her head, folded arms and all.

"Never better! They let me out today," he grinned back and Bill laughed disbelievingly.

"You never cease to amaze me kid," the researcher grinned back as he shook his head. Steven couldn't help but return the grin as Red gave him a similar smile.

"Yeah we're gonna leave as soon as possible; we wanna get to the Indigo Plateau to do some scouting," Misty spoke up for the boy as she smiled at the watching two. Even Steven blinked as he turned his curious red eyes over to her.

"We do?" he asked, clearly clueless and the red head rolled her eyes in a groan.

"Yes we _do_. We want you to win don't we?" the red head asked almost sarcastically as she turned her head over to him and he chuckled, nervously rubbing the back of his head as he did so. Bill laughed as he watched.

"Hold on guys; I gotta go get my things. I'll get yours too okay?" he called over his shoulder as he turned to jog for the stairs. Steven smiled as he waved off the Administrator.

He almost couldn't wait for the Tournament.

_**2**_

"I can't _wait_ to get there!" Bill grinned as the four walked down Route Twenty Two, the sun beaming down on them as they did so. Misty grinned up at the boy on her right.

"You're not even _competing_ in the Tournament. Why are you jumpy to get there?" she asked in a light grin and Bill chuckled back in a nervous smile.

"It's my first time really. Well… since I was a kid anyway; I never remembered it back then; I think I was only five at the time," he smiled and Misty nodded in her own.

"So you're just excited for the sake of visiting it huh?" she asked in another growing grin and Bill couldn't help but grow his own.

"Well not even so much as _visiting _it as the _technology_ they have over there! I've heard they have _Supercomputers_ that pass over any other in the Kanto region!"

Misty made a mock choking sound and raised her right hand up and lowered her head to the left, as if to pretend she was choking. Bill turned in a surprised blink before laughing nervously.

"Nerrrrd," Misty grinned as she reaffirmed her stance and Bill could only laugh back. Red giggled quietly as she listened to the talking two.

"What can I say; I am who I am." the Administrator retorted in a hearty laugh. Steven chuckled to himself as he listened to the laughing group quietly; he was lucky to have friends like these.

When he thought how he _could_ have ended up…

Giovanni's words still played over and over in his mind and his confidence got shaken _every_ time he thought about them and trying _not_ to think about them naturally made him think about them.

"Ugh." the boy murmured under his throat as he scowled lightly down at the ground, his trainers scuffing up the path below him as he did so. Misty seemed to notice and turned her head around in a wondering blink.

"You okay Steve?" she asked and Bill and Red even turned their heads curiously as they watched. The surprised red capped Battler in question raised up his head in surprise before laughing it all off and placing a hand behind his head as he did so in a show of carefree manner.

As if he really _was_ carefree right now.

"Hey you know me! Always ready for the next one!" the boy grinned back in shut eyes. He hoped they wouldn't see the look he had in his eyes previously. Bill and Red he figured he could fool…

But Misty would catch him out almost automatically.

She raised a red eyebrow and frowned before finally nodding. "Okay." she simply answered before continuing on. Steven gasped out in relief before following the three ahead.

This is it; this is the road.

The Road of a Champion.

It seemed like nothing more out of the ordinary than a simple stretch of road to a building just up ahead but to Steven it felt like golden paved steps. Each one the culmination of everything he had achieved up to this point.

And everything he was _going_ to achieve.

While Misty, Red and Bill laughed amongst themselves, Steven remained deathly quiet as he followed the three into the small and simple building ahead. He stopped moving and gulped in deeply as he took in the sight before slowly turning his head back to watch the far off Pallet Town in the distance. He stared at it for what seemed like hours but he finished his stare in a smile before turning his head and following his companions on in.

"_I'll come back; I swear it."_

* * *

"Hello and good afternoon!" the receptionist smiled over at the four. The four walked on in to find a long desk that covered the entire way forward, thus blocking their route.

This was it.

Time to choose.

Steven steeled himself and with a reason to continue, he stepped forward, eyes narrowed.

"Barbara employed in the Indigo Conference League." the young woman on the other end of the desk smiled as she raised herself up from her seat. She outstretched her hand to be shaken and Steven did so but shakily and nervously. "And your name?" she questioned in a light smile as she took his hand to shake. He couldn't find the words to speak and it was only thanks to the smiling Misty behind him that he could.

"Go on," she prodded in a smiling whisper behind him.

"U-Um." he began shakily before raising up his head as he did so. "S-Steven," he replied and the receptionist smiled before taking her hand back and sitting back down.

"Competitor or spectator?" she asked simply as she moved her wheeled chair up to the desktop computer on her left side.

"O-Oh um…" he blinked first before nodding in knowledge. "Competitor,"

"Excellent." the young woman smiled and began to type on the keyboard at her front with quick speed. Steven blinked as he watched her. "And your credentials?" she asked as she turned her head with a small smile and Steven blinked once again in confusion.

Credentials?

Misty once again came to the rescue and tapped his shoulder. He turned his head in an inquisitive blink and she patted his front jacket pocket. The boy turned back his head down and took out his official Trainer Card and the eight Kanto shining Badges he now possessed.

Oh so _that's_ what she meant.

He handed them over in a frown and the woman thanked him before handing them back after a small examination.

"Thank you; you're free to go." the woman smiled as she pressed a single key on her keyboard. A part of the desk on Steven's front immediately shot up, startling the young boy. However he recomposed himself and walked on through the new path that opened up before him, ushering his companions behind him to follow however they did not and the desk shot back down as he passed it.

"No wait my friends!" Steven exclaimed suddenly and Bill waved it off in a shake of his head and smile.

"We'll be there don't worry." Bill chuckled as he walked on forward with his other two friends. Steven watched on with worry nevertheless as the receptionist asked the same questions she asked him.

In their case they were spectators.

And in _their_ case they had to pay.

Bill seethed silently as he brought out his wallet to bring out a grand total of 2,000 Poké Dollars _(one ticket for himself and one for Red)_, muttering about things being better in his day.

"Wow I guess the ICL are really putting up the prices huh?" Misty murmured as she watched the muttering Bill follow the wincing Steven, the frowning Red at his heels. The red head brought out her purse nevertheless however and smiled as she took out a Badge of some kind; an identification one with a card in it.

"Hey what's that? It looks like my Trainer Card," Steven frowned as he watched Misty flash the I.D. at the receptionist.

"It's similar." Bill murmured as he turned his head, his hands in his pockets. "Gym Leaders get their _own_ kind of Trainer Card; theirs is proof of their Leadership and their legal credentials." the computer fanatic claimed as he watched her bring out some notes from her purse. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the amount. "So then why isn't she paying full price…?" he murmured out as he watched her and Steven blinked.

"She isn't?" he asked simply and before Bill could respond, Misty was already on her way to joining the three past the desk.

"Ready guys?" she smiled at the three.

"In a minute." Bill interrupted. "Why didn't you pay full price?" he asked in an eyebrow raising, quizzical look. Misty frowned at him once before smiling back.

"Because I'm a Gym Leader silly remember?" she responded in a light chuckle and Bill's eyes drooped. "We only have to pay half price; part of our perks I guess," she admitted as she joined her hands behind her back.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Bill exclaimed out hotly and Steven cringed at his side. "I just paid _2,000_ _Poké Dollars _out of my own-"

"Bill!" Steven hissed up at the hot tempered young man in question and he stopped for a second, blinking down at him.

"What?"

"Think it's time we left good buddy," the boy whispered as he turned his eyes around. Bill blinked and did the same to find two security guards flashing their batons and even swinging them 'round their fingers threateningly.

Bill's face blanched.

"That's a good idea." he squeaked out before swiftly turning and tip toeing out for the doors ahead of them.

For the first time since his worry at his new challenge, Steven managed to get some stress off him with a laugh as the four exited the receptionist's office.

It was nice for a change.

"I've _never_ saw you like that Bill!" he laughed as he almost doubled over, gripping his stomach in case of it collapsing on him. Misty chuckled alongside him though not finding quite as much humour in it as her red capped friend. "You were _sooooo_ pissed at being screwed over like that!" he continued and Bill's face twitched as he walked next to the boy.

"Yeah, yeah," the young man grumbled out as he gripped his back pack's arm grips tightly.

"I mean seriously-" the boy continued in his laughter, almost bent over with his self appreciative hilarity. Luckily however there was an intervention to stop Bill from raging.

"Still acting the fool?" a voice shot in and Steven's laughter stopped instantly. He gasped in widened eyes, losing his grin as he heard the voice and snapped his head and body up to find a lavish village like setting in front of him with many passers by ahead of him and finally the one thing he _didn't_ expect to see, though admittedly he should have.

"Ross," he growled out and sure enough it was the smug faced Battler himself. With his arms lazily placed in his pockets, his shirt tails hanging over them, he raised up his head to smugly look down his nose on his red capped rival, his wild hair blocking one of his eyes out.

"Yeah, Ross," the boy himself repeated out almost hatefully back at the boy, green eyes narrowed. Steven's own red mixed with his rival's and a staring contest of invisible lightning began between the two.

Tension was already high.

"Come on you two. Don't fight," Misty murmured out as she watched between them, cringing lightly as she did so.

"I wouldn't worry Miss Waterflower." Ross spoke aloud out and Steven's head jerked up as he listened, his ears attentive. "I would never sully your name as a Gym Leader or mine's for that matter by battling _him,_" the young Trainer finished out in a narrow eyed venomous scowl. Steven's anger grew quickly.

"Prove it!" the boy barked out suddenly as he made to leap forward, teeth bared and eyes widened angrily. Bill held him back with a wide eyed scowl of his own.

"Ngh! Not here…!" the computer maniac hissed out.

"I could crush you like the bug you are right _now_." Ross scowled out quietly as he gave the growling boy in question a pure black look of venom. Much to Steven's dismay and anger, he could find nothing of the previous warmth or even pretend annoyance in Ross' eyes from their friendship years ago.

It seemed to be all gone.

And yet Steven could still see it; the glimmer of what used to _be_ in his eyes.

With that attitude though he still _infuriated_ him.

"But if I did I'd only be stooping down to _your_ level." the green eyed Battler continued in his narrow eyed glare. Steven ground his teeth silently in a scowl as he watched. "I better leave before the _stench_ of your regress hits me; later." he venomously scowled out at the boy before turning his frown over to the watching Bill, Misty and Red. "Bill, Misty, Miss." he greeted simply in a favourable nod before turning and walking off down the village ahead of him, disappearing into the crowd.

"Damn…" Steven growled out helplessly, grinding his teeth together.

"Don't let him shake you Steven." Bill spoke up as he frowned after the green eyed boy in question. Steven blinked as he turned his frown over to the computer nerd. "You'll get your chance in beating him," he claimed in his growing smile as he turned it over to the inquisitive Trainer. Steven's frown slowly gave way to a light smile of his own.

He was right.

If Ross was as good as he said he always was then there's no doubt he'd reach the finals just like he planned to and even _if_ they didn't…

They were sure to meet someplace down the road.

"Don't worry about it; we're sure you'll do fine," Misty smiled as she patted the boy on his shoulder and Steven grinned back.

"Oh I'm _not_ worried; I'm sure I can beat him," the red capped boy quipped back as he grinned and Misty chuckled.

"Try not to be overconfident now," she chided in a light grin as the four began forward into the Indigo Plateau's village ahead of them.

"Ha I'll be fine." the boy shot back in his own grin as they walked. His confidence _did_ fall now but that was largely due to the amount of competitors he saw walking around the village stalls and the general area. He was confident about beating Ross due to how close he was last time but…

But all _these_ competitors…

Most of them looked all older than he was; in fact they _all_ did. The only one close to his age probably had to be Ross.

"Man." he murmured under his breath as he walked next to the chattering group he belonged with, eyes cringing at the many glares he received. Don't meet them; just get to the registration desk.

Sure enough the group reached the large building ahead of them with the letters inscribed above on giant plates;

_INDIGO CONFERENCE LEAGUE_

On the side was the symbol for a classic Pokémon Center as well; it doubled as one it would seem?

Oh well.

The group walked on in to find the huge building crawling with other competitors. As soon as they walked on in their heads all snapped towards them in a heated glare and Steven's face fell almost instantly.

_Why_ did they _glare_ like that…?

"Keep moving," Misty whispered in a frown as she quietly ushered on the boy and the group forward.

She was right; don't make eye contact.

The group moved on forward as quietly as they could but in the already silent Pokémon Center, their steps echoed and Steven cringed lightly as they did, feeling the other competitors' stares on them. Luckily and thankfully for his sight, a smiling nurse stood on the desk ahead of them; a classic testament to the Pokémon Center's across Kanto.

Unfortunately though a young girl ahead of them blocked their line.

Steven narrowed his red eyes at her; she looked familiar from the back. Electric blue hair bent up on end to reach past her ears. She wore a small yellow hat with no incline, a small white jacket, a tight shirt and shorts that hugged her body.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" the girl screamed out suddenly, cutting through the tension like a hot knife through butter. Steven cringed but was thankful the glares of the other competitors were off him.

Oh well.

"Yes I'm very sorry but-"

"Fuck you lady! You suck!" the crystal haired girl screamed back at the poor nurse on the other side of the desk. She merely blinked back in wonder at her choice of words for so young a girl. With that she about turned and stormed on off however not without giving the group an initial glare at first. She gasped in widened eyes and stopped moving suddenly as she saw who it was.

"You!" the group and the girl all exclaimed simultaneously.

"Elaine!" Misty greeted in a bright smile and the crystal haired girl shot back a grin before jumping in for a sisterly hug. Steven, Red and Bill watched on with surprise.

She was gunning for the League?

Steven had no _idea_.

He just thought she was one of Ross' many fan girls.

Not that she wasn't anyway he thought in a childish grin to himself. Elaine caught it but opted to say nothing, instead glaring at the red capped boy in front of her.

"So what are you doing here?" Misty asked in a light smile and Elaine grinned as she turned her look on the red headed Gym Leader.

"Signing up for the League Tournament; what's it look like?" she grinned back and Misty chuckled. However her grin soon fell off her face and she scowled angrily. "Only they won't accept me," she growled out.

"But why no-" Misty tried as she frowned in wonder however she was swiftly interrupted by the volatile girl.

"They have this_ idiot_ idea that I'm a hot head!" the electric blue haired Trainer exclaimed out suddenly as she glared out at anyone that dared to meet her gaze. Steven and Bill grinned in the background childishly.

"Wonder where they got that from?" Steven grinned in a murmuring as he leant back. Bill couldn't help but snort from his held back laughter and Elaine's head almost immediately honed in on the two. Misty sunk her face into her palm in a defeated sigh as she shook her head.

"Go sign up Steven," she sighed and Steven grinned back.

"You got it!" he shot back before walking on up to the smiling nurse ahead of him. "Yo!" he greeted simply in a raise of his right arm.

"Good afternoon. And you are?" the nurse questioned in a turn of her head and Steven smiled lightly.

"Steven; I gave my details to the receptionist out Route Twenty Two?" he asked in a raise of his brown eyebrows.

"Steven." the nurse murmured repeating the name as she turned her eyes down to the desktop computer at her lower left. She began typing in presumably his name and sure enough a database popped up to show off some of the details he informed her about. He smiled as he saw it.

So far, so good.

"Yes here you are." she smiled. "Twelve years old and your date of birth is the 20th of December 1989. Is this correct?" the nurse turned her head in another smile. Steven blinked, taken aback.

How did they know _that?_

From his Trainer Card perhaps?

"Uh yeah that's right," he murmured out, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

He felt like the youngest person here already and probably was.

"Excellent." she smiled before hitting another key on the keyboard, turning her head around in a light smile. "May I have your Trainer Card please?" the nurse asked as she outstretched her open palm and Steven nodded in a frown as he brought on out the credential in question. A picture of the boy's smiling face sat in the top right corner of the card and even his current number of cash he held on him was exactly counted on the revolutionary device.

Just like old man Oak told him.

His Trainer Identification Number of course was listed as well as shining graphics of the Kanto Badges he currently possessed.

"Thank you." the nurse smiled as she took the card from his hands and using the side with his face printed on it, she inserted the card vertically into a device on her front. Steven watched in an inquisitive blink as she did so. A red, green and blue light emanated from the device and before he knew it, the nurse reached down to pluck the card up from the device once more, handing it back to him. "Thank you!" she chimed in once more before turning and keying in some commands into the desktop next to her.

"So uh…" Steven began in a wondering blink as he looked over his Trainer Card in wonder before turning his curious eyes up at the nurse. "What now?" he questioned and she hit one more key with a smile before turning her smile up at the boy.

"Please look above you," she smiled and Steven blinked but did so regardless. His red eyes widened in a gasp as he saw on a large television above him a picture of his smiling face, widened to best fit the television.

What was his face _doing_ on it?

"I see it but-" he began in a wondering blink.

"Your details have been entered into our database as a first time competitor and so you will be required to pass through a preliminary round before you are allowed to face the main tournament competitors," she informed in a light smile and Steven blinked in wonder for the umpteenth time as he listened.

"R-Right," he murmured out.

"The preliminary round will be not a practical but a theory test which will be written," the nurse smiled and Steven's red eyes widened.

_Written?_

"B-But I-"

"I'm afraid this is non negotiable." the nurse interrupted in a frown and Steven's face fell almost immediately.

Okay, so this _had_ to be overcome.

He had to have knowledge to have power.

Makes sense.

He nodded positively in a narrow eyed frown for her to continue and she did, her smile returning.

"The test will be on multiple subjects but among them are _'Types and Weaknesses'_, _'Pokémon History'_ and including but not limited to _'Battling Strategy'_." she finished in her smile and Steven nodded in a gulp. That sounded tough already. "Here, you will need this," she smiled once again as she brought out a small but chunky handbook. He blinked as he took it from her hands.

"What's this?" he asked simply.

"It's the official ICL Pokémon League Tournament handbook and everything you need to know for both your preliminary test _and_ your main tournament are all in that." she smiled as she pointed at it. He looked down and quickly examined it. On it was inscribed thus;

_Official Indigo Conference League Handbook_

Below those letters were two symbols that seemed to join in together; one an unattached triple flame design with a small incline underneath it, golden in colour. At its side was another design; a pair of metallic wings bathed in silver. Steven recognised those symbols from commercials he'd seen on the television as a younger child.

The golden flame design was Kanto's symbol; he _knew_ it so the silver wings must have been Johto's. Underneath them both was smaller print writing.

_As approved by the Kanto and Johto ICL_

He turned it back and on the back and found a flame and leaf design on the back as well as a slogan of sorts.

_Trainer_

_May you be ever favourable in victory!_

He nodded once he finished reading the cover and placed the book in his back pocket snugly, eyes narrowed as he did so. "Thank you," he thanked simply and she smiled in response before continuing.

"Your theory test will begin in two weeks starting from this Monday in the Plateau Grand Hall at 9:00 o'clock in the morning. Be sure to study," the nurse smiled and Steven nodded in a grave narrow of his eyes and frown to match.

"Of course," he managed out shakily; every time she gave him new information it only continued to intimidate him.

"The main competition will begin in four weeks; two weeks after your initial examination. Again be sure to study and practice for your battles should you pass your examination," the woman smiled at him once again and he nodded like a robot; a gulping and shaking robot.

"Y-Yeah,"

"There is also a pre tournament feast held in the Plateau Grand Hall on the day of the competition at 10:00am. All challengers and spectators are welcome." the nurse claimed in her smile and Steven nodded positively.

That was some good news at least.

"Once you finish your theory examination and should you pass your next appointment with me shall be at 11:00am on the day after. There is no negotiation with this as I am fully booked," she smiled apologetically.

"It's fine," the boy chuckled back, waving it off but her words were getting to him.

'_Should you pass'._

"Well thank you very much for your time Mr. Murray." the nurse began as she smiled once more and joining her hands in front of her body, she bowed respectfully. "And may you be ever favourable in victory!" she finished in a growing smile as she rose back up her head. Steven nodded in a shaky laugh, smiling back at her.

"Thanks." he simply responded nervously before turning and walking off to give his brain some recovery time. He sighed out as he gripped his head and shut his eyes, as if he had just induced a world time headache.

"Steve? You okay?" Misty murmured as she walked to his side. The boy blinked out of his ritual and turned his wondering frown over to his left before shaking his head and smiling.

"Yeah I'm fine; go and sign up!" he smiled back and she frowned at him, as if she knew he was lying. However she nodded regardless and turned to join her other two companions in signing up to be spectators.

"I don't know why you even _bother_."

Steven's red eyes snapped open and he turned them to his left to find a smirking Elaine, her arms folded.

Oh _great_.

Just what he needed.

"Compared to Ross you'll _never_ succeed. I bet you won't even pass the preliminary round." the smarmy girl smirked as she watched his face. The boy recomposed himself and stood in a hardy frown, turning his attention instead to the doors ahead of himself. "Ross was always better; he _told_ me about you ya know." Elaine continued in her knowing smirk. Steven's frown twitched but he tried to keep her voice out of his head as he waited for his companions.

Elaine soldiered on it would seem and even walked in his line of vision, as if to demand his attention. "You're going to fail." she whispered as she leant in, smirking oh so confidently. Steven stared on back in a silent, hard narrow of his eyes but she wasn't fazed. "And then where will you end up?" she asked quietly. Steven's left eye twitched as he listened to her. "Face it. You're not champion material. You're not even _Gym Leader_ material." Elaine finished in a sneering grin. Steven only watched her with his undetectable hard frown. "When you fall…" the young girl began out as she grinned. She moved even closer to him and her whispers tickled his left ear. "It's going to be _hard_." she finished in a smirking whisper. Steven's head twitched and not from her voice.

But her words.

"What's going on guys?" Misty's voice interrupted as she stood behind the two, watching on worriedly.

Elaine's eyes widened and she was surprised for a second but the electric blue haired Trainer quickly amended the situation by turning the boy in front of her to match her height and position, grinning happily as she did so.

"Just shooting the breeze with my new best friend! Right Stanton?" the girl grinned as she pointed to her and her supposed new companion's face. Steven however never even met Misty's suspicious gaze; instead he turned his hard frown and his narrowed red eyes on the floor below him.

"His name is Steven," Misty claimed as she raised a red eyebrow at the blue haired Battler ahead of her. Elaine chuckled nervously as she did so, rubbing the back of her head as she pulled back.

"Of course it is!" the girl laughed out as she turned her footing backwards to stealthily escape it would seem. "Well I better go meet up with Ross; I'll see you guys later huh?" she grinned and waved them all off, turning to run for the doors. Misty watched with a suspicious narrow of her eyes and turned them over to the hard frowning Steven.

"What did she say to you?" the red head questioned quietly as she walked up to the boy. Steven raised his head in a frown before smiling and shaking his head at her.

"Nothing really." he claimed back in a smile before gesturing for the electric doors with his head. "Come on," he ushered, turning to head. Misty frowned but smiled wanly regardless.

"Okay." she murmured before following. Bill and Red soon followed after signing up of course and the group was once again out the Pokémon Center and into the Indigo Plateau's village.

"Well now that, that's sorted I think it'd be a good idea to look for some accommodation to stay during the Tournament; all the good rooms will be taken if we don't hurry," Bill smiled into the silence as he turned his head. Misty smiled back and nodded in agreement.

"I have a sort of idea where we going so it shouldn't take too long," the red head claimed as she smiled up at the young man. Bill nodded and walked on with his always smiling companion Red however as the quiet Steven followed, Misty's glances toward him soon turned into gazes.

Steven noticed it and decided to smile back at her, shaking his head to stop her from worrying.

She'd just make things worse.

His face fell again as he remembered Giovanni's first words to him when they met at Celadon City.

"_I know of your ability Steven. Your rare ability to deduce a person's words' value I mean; not your mediocre fighting power."_

'Mediocre fighting power.'

As if that wasn't bad enough, Elaine and Ross had to jump in on the bandwagon too.

"_I'll show you just how far beneath Giovanni and I you are."_

"_You're going to fail. And then where will you end up?"_

His face twitched as he walked his hands on his back pack's grips as he walked. Maybe they were right.

Maybe he _was_ going to fail.

Everyone had said; even his parents. They still had no idea where he was and had sent no party to look for him.

They probably knew he'd give up and go home eventually.

But… here he was at the ICL's Indigo Plateau itself. He had already done more than half than he'd thought he could do.

And more besides.

His face scrunched in deep thought as he wondered between all the people he'd met, all their words to him and what they meant.

Could he do this? Could he _really_ become the national champion? It didn't seem so doubtful anymore when he considered everything else.

He rose up his head to watch his walking companions at his left side in a simple frowning stare. Misty noticed his gaze and turned with a bright smile. He returned it and she turned back her head to the road in front of her. Of all people in the entire world he had met so far these three had believed in him so strongly he almost couldn't believe it.

The only ones who did and still do.

He found a smile growing on his face as he watched them, realising just how lucky he had been up to this point. Before he could thank either of them however he gasped in widened eyes as a random passer by bumped into his shoulder presumably by accident but it managed to nearly floor him regardless due to the surprise.

"Hey _watch_ it!" the disgruntled passer by exclaimed out angrily as she whipped her head around in a scowl. She wore a simple and open black body warmer over another simple designed white t-shirt, some loose and airy trousers that ended at her shin for comfort purposes and finally, like most of her clothing, simple white trainers. Her back pack was of a different kind than anyone's Steven had seen however. It was placed behind her back but joined by a diagonal strap that was clipped into place, blue in colour.

"_You_ watch it! It's a busy road here!" Steven shot back hotly as he raised his fist in an intimidating gesture.

He was _sick_ of being bossed around.

"Steve, come on-" Misty began in a wince as she watched the events unfold before her however it seemed out of her hands.

The girl quite nearly choked on her own anger as her shoulder length, middle shed brown hair whipped around in an angry shake of her head. "Last I check it was a free country _asshole!_" the volatile girl screamed back at him, scowling angrily.

"Better learn some manners before you end up kicked out of the damn-"

"Pf!" the girl interrupted him midway and Steven growled. "I at least have Battling _Skill!_" she grinned as she stood back and folded her arms, shut eyes and all in a show of confidence. Steven narrowed his eyes annoyingly. "I could crush you like a _bug_," the girl smirked as she lowered her head in a grinning glare.

Steven nearly erupted. "Let's see you _try!_" he exclaimed out suddenly as he swiped a fingerless gloved hand across the air. Silence immediately fell down on the watching group as if a sense of foreboding had hit the air.

They all knew what would happen, somehow.

"All right." the girl grinned back as she turned her head back up, standing up straight. "Come with me; I'll take you to a suitable field," she grinned as she gestured for the boy to follow, brushing past him in a smarmy smirk. Steven growled back.

"Steve we don't have time for this; we still need to get rooms-" Misty began in a frown as she turned her head over to the walking Steven.

"Is it rooms that your friends have a problem with?" the girl interrupted again as she turned her head, this time in a frown. Bill and Misty exchanged a surprised wince before turning back and nodding at her. The brown haired girl smirked back as she turned her head at an angle. "No worries; I can give you some," she simply stated out and Bill's eyes widened at an alarming rate.

"_Give_ us some?" he whispered out and the girl only smirked back before turning her head around and continuing on. Steven followed unimpressed, eyes narrowed at his new opponent's head. The girl didn't seem to answer Bill's worthy question however though sure enough she led the group off out of the main city's outskirts and into the main village itself.

The area they were led to was nothing special; it was a Greenfield area with simple wildlife and cabins for staying in. Conveniently it was also the place that Misty, Bill and Red were first heading for, for accommodation.

"How's about here?" the girl finally stopped as she turned back to grin at the group. Steven looked around as he similarly stopped, eyes narrowed suspiciously as if to look for some kind of loophole that she would have home field advantage.

As it was a simple field of grass and a small pond to his north east he supposed he had nothing to worry about.

"Just fine!" he grinned back as he pumped a confident fist back. She couldn't help but grin back at him it seemed as she reached for a Poké Ball. Steven made to take his position on her opposite side but the frowning Misty stopped him, placing a concerned hand on his shoulder. He turned around in an inquisitive blink.

"Are you sure you want to be doing this?" she questioned in a veritable wince. Steven blinked wonderingly.

"What's there to worry about?"

"She could be a competitor Steven," Bill spoke up for the worried Misty, frowning down at the boy as he did so.

"So what? Like it matters; we'll be battling each other again later if that's the case," the boy shot back in a miffed turn of his face.

"St-Steve…n." a voice interrupted and the red capped Trainer in question turned his head around in surprise. A meek faced Red stood in front of the group and gulped as she tried to continue. "B-Be c-careful," the young woman smiled at him and Steven's curious look turned to a grinning mutual respect and he gave her a raised thumbs up before turning to continue. Misty and Bill couldn't believe their ears.

"Steve for god's sake-" the bewildered red head tried again as she took a step forward but Steven wasn't having any of it, it seemed. He turned on his heel and scowled, though lightly, back, red eyes narrowed.

"Let me do this." he requested in his scowl and the watching Misty and Bill blinked at him in wonder. "Sure okay yeah she'll see what I'm made of but you're forgetting; I'll see her strategies too!" he hissed back in his narrow eyed expression before turning it into a light grin. "Don't worry about me guys; I can handle myself," he finished in another confident grin before he walked on unperturbed.

"I sure hope you can." Misty replied in a quiet murmuring, watching the events unfold with as little control as she was used to.

Steven grinned as he fingered out a Poké Ball, opting for another choice from his usual this time. He enlarged it in his face, blocking part of it from his opponent's view.

"So ya got a name around here kid? I'd hate to beat down a nobody," the brown haired girl smirked as she brought out a Poké Ball of her own, twirling the small sphere around her fingers.

"Isn't it polite to introduce yourself first before asking a name?" Steven smarmily shot back and the girl's face fell for a second but she made a full recovery.

"Hmph!" she smirked back before tossing her hair in the air as if she were on a higher level entirely than the boy ahead of her. "Hear my name and tremble! Danielle Hunt of the Hunt family of Johto!" the young girl shot out as she smirked, two hands on her hips proudly. Steven smirked as he ran his thumb across his nose coolly.

"You'll have to excuse me if I'm not shakin' in my boots!" the boy laughed back and her grin fell almost immediately from her face.

His comment must have gotten to her _good_.

"Hey I saw that! Don't pretend you know sarcasm to _me!_" the girl exclaimed out angrily and Steven laughed back before reasserting himself.

"The name's _Steven!_ And I'm gonna be Kanto's next Battling Champion!" the boy grinned as he edged a thumb to his chest strongly. Danielle let out a burst of sudden laughter and raised her thin arm up to her mouth, as if to control her very laughter. She lowered one eye under her hair to watch him in her grin as she spoke.

"_You?_ _Champion?_ Please!" she laughed but even Steven found himself grinning back. "That title is and has always belonged to _me!_" the girl grinned back as she edged her own thumb to her chest. Steven chuckled as he stood, listening. Bill and Misty watched on with droopy eyed expressions.

"It's like watching two mirrors fight." Bill muttered under his breath and Misty nodded in an agreeing groan. The frowning Bill however sighed as he walked on forward between the two, rising up his arms. They frowned up at him and turned their heads curiously. "Let's make this clean okay?" the computer maniac requested in a raised eyebrow, watching from each opponent for their individual reactions.

"No worries bro!" Steven shot out in his grin.

"Of course!" Danielle smiled sweetly, winking at the glasses wearing young man in question. He chuckled before nodding.

"All right standard rules and three Pokémon each, Singles only. Ready?" he asked in a smile at each competitor.

Danielle grinned as she suddenly raised up a Poké Ball to her top right, stance and ready to battle. "Show me what you've got Kanto boy!" the girl grinned as she readied herself to throw out the sphere.

"You _got_ it Johto girl!" the boy grinned back before grunting as he vaulted his Poké Ball forward. Danielle grinned as she followed his action and sent out her own first Pokémon.

_**2**_

"Lockjaw!"

"Gengar!"

Out popped a flying Aerodactyl on the smirking Steven's side and a grinning Gengar on his opponent's similar expressed side.

"Let's start Lockjaw! Rock Slide!" Steven grinned as he pointed on forward, body bent low as he watched his enemy. Danielle merely stood and folded her arms as she watched the oncoming barrage of rocks. The screeching Aerodactyl narrowed its eyes down at its opponent before shooting forth rocks as if from no where at its opponent as if they were bullets from a firearm. Steven's own red eyes narrowed as he watched the defiant and grinning expression of his confident opponent.

Why didn't she _order…?_

Sure enough however the rocks hit the grinning Gengar's position but much to Steven's dismay it seemed to do little to no damage; the Gengar didn't even flinch.

"Huh?" he blinked out in wonder. Danielle laughed over at him, as if he were the butt of some kind of a joke.

"Steven!" Misty exclaimed and the boy snapped 'round his head. "It's holding an item to evade attacks! That's how it managed to get out of the Rock Slide!" the red head shouted on over and Steven blinked.

"An item?" he parroted before snapping his head back on 'round to find the Gengar glowing a bright colour.

What _was_ it?

"Ugh unfair." Danielle muttered in a folded armed pout. "Now you know it's Bright Powder my Gengar's holding. Oh well; I'll _still_ win," she grinned as she set apart her feet and readied to battle once again.

"Yeah let's see you try!" Steven shot back in his own grin, pumping another of his many confident fists in the air.

"As you wish." she smiled sweetly in response before grinning once more and pointing forward. "Gengar; counterattack with Shadow Ball!" she exclaimed. The Poison and Ghost dual Type grinned forward as it raised its skinny little arms before shooting forth a charged Shadow Ball from the air between its arms.

"Quick!" Steven exclaimed in widened eyes as he raised his head up but he watched in a surprised blink; his Aerodactyl didn't even wait for his command. It swerved its body in its flight to avoid the oncoming Shadow Ball, forcing its trajectory away.

"Darn!" Danielle pouted out as she snapped her fingers.

"Be ready!" the boy exclaimed up at his Aerodactyl. It stopped stationary in the air and began to charge a bright white glow. Danielle watched on with narrow eyed wonder.

"What is he up to?" she murmured under her breath as she went through the idea in her head. She couldn't seem to come up with anything on his side and so prepared herself in a grin. "All right fine! Come at us!" she grinned and Steven narrowed his own red eyes in worry.

What was she…?

Too late now!

He grinned as he pointed on forward at his enemy. "Sky _Attack!_" he exclaimed and the Aerodactyl gave one more screech before shooting forward like a bullet from a gun, leaving behind a shining trail of its white glow.

"Ha! Destiny Bond!" the girl grinned back. Steven's eyes widened in a gasp as his stance faltered.

"No!" he exclaimed but it was too late; his Aerodactyl smashed into the wide eyed Gengar, thereby flashing a bright light. He grunted as he blocked the light from his eyes with his raised arms, turning his head away. His opponent copied his actions but soon enough the light faded and the two turned their heads back to find the smoke clearing.

Steven's Aerodactyl lay on the ground face down, clearly finished as did the fallen Gengar, eyes shut in a pained cringe.

"Damn!" Steven muttered out in a surprised wince before watching on up at the smirking Danielle.

"I knew you'd have _some_ kind of killer attack ready so I just evened the playing field. Nyah!" the girl smirked back as she made a face at him. Steven couldn't help but chuckle back. She blinked in wonder at his strange response. "Why are you laughing?" she shot back in a narrow eyed fold of her arms, turning her head curiously as she did so. She spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, as if he shouldn't have laughed at all.

"I can't remember the last time I was pushed like this!" he shot back and she couldn't help but grin along with him.

"Well you better not underestimate me!"

"Goes double for me!" the boy grinned back before recalling his Pokémon and fingering his next. She did the same and before they knew it, the two had sent out new Pokémon to take their place.

"Go!" they both exclaimed simultaneously.

A dark coloured Pokémon that Steven had never seen before popped out of his opponent's Poké Ball but his Magneton leapt out of its own sphere to meet it. Steven narrowed his eyes as he raised up his Pokédex Version I to quickly scan it.

_#?_

_Classification: ? Pokémon_

_?_

"Darn!" Steven growled out as he watched the screen turn to snow. He snapped it shut and looked on up.

"It's called an Umbreon!" Danielle grinned over at him as she folded her arms in a side on position.

"Umbreon." he mumbled under his breath as he watched it. It was black coloured with golden stripes around it.

Looked sort of like his old Eevee.

Damn he didn't know its Type!

Oh well…

"Let's end this quick! Thunderbolt!" the boy yelled out as he pointed forward at his enemy. The Magneton shot forth a torrent of electricity pre charged from the magnets around its steel body. It connected with the shut eyed Umbreon and sent it skidding back from the strength of the attack.

But again Danielle didn't look worried.

Steven's eyes narrowed; he had to figure out her game this time.

"Curse it off Umbreon!" the girl grinned.

Curse?

The Umbreon narrowed its eyes and grunted as it began to glow from a light blue to a bright red.

Raising _stats?_

But his Magneton worked on _Special Attack,_ not on _Physical Attack_.

She was sunk!

"Thunderbolt again!" he grinned forward and it shot forth the electricity once more. Again Danielle watched in a grin as her Umbreon skid across the ground again in its pain.

"Curse," she grinned out quietly and the Umbreon did so once again. Steven narrowed his eyes; she didn't seem to care. It only raised Physical Attack and Defence and lowered its Speed so…

So _why?_

"Rgh! Thunderbolt!" Steven yelled out in growing impatience. It hit for the third time and this time the Umbreon seemed to feel it; it yelped as it was sent tumbling back on its side, shaky and pained.

"Baton Pass!"

Baton Pass?

Steven's eyes widened as he looked back up at his opponent's face for any kind of inkling as to what the move entailed. Before he could ponder anymore however, the Umbreon was called back to its Poké Ball but just as quickly she sent on out another Pokémon.

Her last one!

A Pokémon – one he'd heard about this time – popped on out and stared on after him with a scowl. It was a long snake like creature, blue and white in colour with a necklace of blue pearls at its neck.

Looked strange.

_#148 Dragonair_

_Classification: Dragon Pokémon_

_It is said to live in seas and lakes. Even though it has no wings, it has been seen flying occasionally._

"A Dragon Type Pokémon!" Steven gasped out in widened eyes as he saw its Type.

"Yup and your end." Danielle answered for him. Steven rose up his head in a narrow eyed scowl. "Dragon Dance!" she ordered out and the Dragonair did so, dancing around in place, glowing red as it did so.

Damn now it was raising Attack and Speed!

"Stop! Thunderbolt!" Steven exclaimed out in growing panic as his Magneton shot forth another torrent of electricity. It snapped against the Dragonair hard and it looked to do some damage but the strong and already boosted up Dragon Type Pokémon merely shook it off. "Wha-"

"Ha! Dragon Dance again!" Danielle grinned out as her Dragonair danced once more.

"Electric Type attacks aren't a good match up against a Dragon Type Pokémon!" Misty's shout reached his ears and Steven cringed.

Great; another mistake.

At least he knows _now_.

"Fine let's switch Battle Style! Reflect!" the boy exclaimed out as he narrowed his eyes. His Magneton, true to his words, raised up a barrier of protective light around its body.

"Nice try but you're too late." the brown haired Battler grinned back at him before thrusting forth a finger forward. "Now! Finish this with your powered up _Outrage!_" she grinned out in laughter and her Dragonair was suddenly coated in a berserk like red aura. It shot forward and with blinding speed, it crashed into the wide eyed Magneton.

"Urgh!" Steven grunted out as he raised his arms to block the smoke and light from his face, lowering his head as he did so. Regardless of the Type difference or even the Reflect shield he raised up earlier, his Magneton gave out one final cry of pain before falling to the ground as the smoke cleared, clanging hard. "Darn." the boy muttered out under his breath before smiling lightly and recalling his Pokémon. "Sorry," he chuckled down at the fainted Magneton.

"Can we hurry this up already?" Danielle's raised voice echoed on over and Steven raised his head up to frown at the girl before grinning back.

"You may have the advantage right now Danielle…" Steven began as he brought out another Poké Ball; his last chosen. He grinned as he enlarged it in front of him before pointing it at his enemy in full size. "But you're not the only one who can strategise! Go!" he exclaimed as he vaulted the sphere forwards. It snapped open and a similar faced Nidoking stood to attention, body lowered in a fighting stance. "Ragnarock!" its master grinned out forward.

"A _Nidoking?_ Really?" Danielle scoffed in a folded armed grin.

"Ragnarock's just not _any_ kind of Nidoking; Ragnarock's been with me since day one," the boy grinned back and Danielle couldn't help but snort in a scoff again.

"Touching." she snorted. "Finish this! Continue with your Outrage!" the girl shot out with as she pointed forward. Her Dragonair flew forward, coated in an angry red aura.

"Protect!"

Danielle's eyes widened in a worried gasp as she watched the Outrage attack bounce and explode harmlessly off of the Protect shield.

"Damn!" Danielle muttered out in narrowed eyes. One turn wasted, she thought.

Oh well, maybe she'll have one more.

"Don't even _contemplate _it!" Steven interrupted her train of thought. "_Blizzaaaaaard!_" the boy yelled out as he shot one of his arms up in a punch to the air. The purple Nidoking widened its eyes as it shot a pre charged blast of ice from its mouth, alerting the gasping and wide eyed Danielle.

"No!" she gasped but the attack connected; the blast of cold air struck the wide eyed Dragonair, thus halting its impending approach and fainting it in one hit. It fell to the ground painfully and Danielle was left speechless. "M-My p-plan it… it never fails." she murmured out as she watched her cross eyed Dragonair whimper from the Ice Type attack.

"Ha, ha, ha! All _right!_" Steven yelled out in joy as he leapt and gave his similar expressed Nidoking a high five. Danielle raised her head as she recalled her Dragonair and grunted as she sent forth her last Pokémon.

Her already weakened Umbreon.

Steven grinned as he reasserted his position, his Nidoking copying him. "We got this Ragnarock!" the boy whispered over and the Poison Point Pokémon grinned at its tired enemy as it nodded.

"_Umbreon's Attack and Defence are still pretty high from all those Curses. We can still do this."_ Danielle thought to herself in a worried sweat drop as she watched the grinning boy and his Nidoking. "You're finished!" she shot on over in her own grin.

"Prove it!" he grinned back and she almost faltered.

She wasn't feeling very confident right now; the move had to be used.

"Last _Resorrrrt!_" she exclaimed and set her feet and arms apart, raising her head to the heavens and as she did so her Umbreon shot forth an intimidating beam of pure white energy at its opponent, burning up and destroying the grass and ground it travelled above.

"Same again Ragnarock!" Steven shouted out as he pointed forward. Sure enough, his Nidoking roared as it shot forth the blast of ice and air at its enemy, eyes narrowed red. The two attacks met in the air and made a painful shake on the ground the group all stood on, both spectators and combatants. The two Trainers' expressions on their face was a testament to their well placed worry at the battle's outcome; scrunched up as they ground their teeth and narrowed their eyes forward as best they could to watch.

Finally the two attacks that met in the air exploded, sending the yelling Danielle and Steven back tumbling across the ground from the sheer force of the melded attacks.

"Steve!" Misty exclaimed as she ran forward to assist the fallen boy. Bill narrowed his eyes as he ran on to assist the fallen Danielle in kind. Misty cradled the boy's head up and he grunted in a weak wince as he looked up as best he could to see the results.

"Who… won?" he managed out painfully but Misty merely shook her head.

"Shh." she cooed. "You should be more careful," she whispered down at him and he grinned back up at her raising his thumb as he did so in a positive gesture.

"I'm fine." he gasped out in his grin before looking back over at the battlefield for the oncoming results. The smoke soon cleared and what remained made him gasp in pure shock.

His Nidoking lay in the dirt of the destroyed grass and ground, eyes shut and out cold. His heart sunk as he saw it but he smiled anyway.

It fought with everything it had and more.

"No!" Danielle's voice exclaimed forth and he blinked before looking up to find her Umbreon in a state much the same as his Nidoking.

He couldn't believe it.

"Draw!" Bill exclaimed out in a small grin as he helped Danielle up. Steven blinked before grunting as he was helped up by his red headed companion.

"Can't believe it." the boy murmured out as he watched the battlefield again as if some other kind of result would present itself but regardless it would stay the same. He sighed and recalled his Nidoking, smiling down at the Pokémon as he did so. "Thanks Ragnarock." he smiled in a nod down at his fallen Pokémon before belting the sphere and moving on forward to his former opponent. He lowered his hand and she blinked up at it, Bill doing the same.

"Steven?" the computer maniac blinked over at him, unsure of his intentions. The red capped Trainer shook his head over at him in a smile before turning his positive look down at his new companion. She finally accepted the hand in an inquisitive raise of her brown eyebrow and opened her mouth to speak before the boy went ahead of her.

"Thanks!" he grinned at her. "I really needed this battle; you've shown me more Pokémon and how to deal with them,"

Danielle blinked at him at first but couldn't help to turn her frown into a light grin similar to the red capped boy ahead of her. She finally spoke, shaking her head as she shook his hand. "No problem." she chuckled. Bill couldn't help but burst out laughing as he watched and the two turned their heads over in wondering blinks.

"What's so funny?" Steven shot out as he raised his own eyebrow. Bill shook his head as he lowered it, grinning as he did so.

"You're both just _too_ similar to be true." the nerd couldn't help but laugh out as he watched between them. The two Battlers turned their heads at each other in a wondering blink before shrugging and grinning; they stuck each other's elbows on their shoulders, turning their similarly confident grins on the watching Bill. "That's almost creepy." the Administrator murmured out a total loss of his former mirth. The similar expressed Battlers let out a hidden chuckle as they exchanged their similar looks.

Misty couldn't help but laugh as she watched the group.

So similar.

A/N: P-P-P-POKÉMOOOOON LEEEEEAAAAGUE


	28. Woe! The Written Test!

**Chapter 28: Woe! The Written Test!**

_ICL League Arc – The Beginner's Exam_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Chapter Briefing._

_** "Route Three" –** **Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Scene **1**._

_** "Nervous" –** **Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **2** and **3**._

_** "Sadness and Sorrow" –** **Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **3 – The Sixth Question.**_

_Last we left our hero he was beset by the intimidating challenge of a written exam. Slated for first timers in Kanto and Johto's ICL Tournament, he must somehow beat his greatest weakness and move onto to the following Battling Tournament. However that is more easily said than done…_

_With all his studying, Steven finally manages to remember what he believes are key points to a Champion Battler. Unfortunately however as he attends the traditional ICL preliminary feast he begins to doubt himself and soon sees fault in almost every action he takes and thinks…_

_**Scene 1**_

He gave out a shaky sigh as he stood in the cabin's hall, eyes narrowed. His body felt soft, his knees weak and his muscles gone.

The day of the exam.

His nerves were at an all-time high and even though he was sure he had done all he could to prepare himself for it there was still always that niggle at the back of his mind that he'd fail.

He had an inkling it had to do with his last encounter with Giovanni.

"_No one will believe you. I will see to that."_

Steven gulped down a load of saliva as memories came rushing back of the Machiavellian mafia man and his cryptic messages.

The Wheel of Fate… no one will believe him… his ill-fated joining of Rocket… The Truth…

So many questions he wanted to ask him.

But he knew if he did, he'd end up battling him again and to battle Giovanni again, especially after last time…

It was a frightening thought.

He shook his head in a narrow eyed scowl, eyes narrowed lightly; rid him of the negative thoughts plaguing his mind.

And take on the League.

He slowly grinned as that simple thought made his morale climb right back up.

"Bill! Misty, Red!" Steven called as he about turned his head and sure enough almost right after he called them, they all turned into the hall from the cabin's living room, smiling back at him as they did so. Lacking their back packs and previous clothes, they were now dressed in summer wear.

Bill in a simple white t-shirt and blue jeans as if to accentuate his simple and easy going personality.

Red was dressed in a pink t-shirt of her own with some red jeans.

But Misty was by far the best dressed he thought.

She wore a blue pullover jacket perhaps in case of rain, a red t-shirt of her own under it with a blue Cascade Badge pinned. Her usual side ponytailed hair was changed in favour of a different look; like Elaine it seemed she had turned two locks of her red hair to come out from the sides of her ears and bend upwards, her fringe hanging forward in front of her eyes.

Steven found himself staring at her and it didn't go by unnoticed. She stared back and raised a red eyebrow, watching his red eyes with her aqua marine and she grinned. Bill saw it and silently chuckled to himself before walking forward and as he passed the transfixed boy he leant his mouth as closely to his ear as he could without being suspicious.

"Your infatuation is showing." he only whispered in a smile as he passed. As if on reflex, Steven gasped and with burning cheeks, turned his eyes downward, a giggling Red passing him as he did so. He coughed, raising a fisted hand to his mouth as he did so, head staring down at the ground as he waited for her to walk past him.

She didn't.

When he looked up to find her smiling at him and less than a yard away from him he cringed and his embarrassment only grew further however as she placed a reassuring hand on his arm he began to cool down.

If only a little.

"Coming?" she asked softly and he gulped though nodded in a smile, his throat dry.

Even now he wondered why he felt like this when he was near her and why she seemed so comfortable with it as opposed to his contrasting expressions.

He supposed he would never know.

Regardless the boy walked with the ex-Gym Leader and as she slipped his hand into hers his cheeks burned a red once more, as red as his clothes.

"Hey guys!" a voice interrupted the group and as Red and Bill stopped themselves, Steven and Misty both raised their heads to find a grinning Danielle only a few yards away, waving at them from the country road. They smiled and walked on to join her. "So are you guys heading off to the main ceremony too?" she asked in her usual grin and Bill nodded.

"Yeah; Steven's finally going to take his first test," the researcher smiled as he stuck his hands into his pockets. Danielle grinned as she turned it on the named boy himself, making him flinch a little.

"Think you're all ready? Studied up?" the Johto bound Battler grinned and Steven chuckled nervously as he used his free left hand to run through his hair.

"As ready as I'll ever be,"

Danielle blinked as her eyes travelled down to catch the two's melded hands and her grin slowly grew back, this time in a knowing, mischievous look. "I didn't know you two were together!" she exclaimed out as she snapped her eyes back up to watch between the wide eyed two. As expected, they swivelled their heads 'round to meet each other's eyes and immediately snapped back around, wrenching free control of their hands. Bill couldn't help but burst out laughing as he watched the scene however as he recovered, he waved it off to the curious and grinning Danielle.

"Come on; let's go or we'll be late," the Administrator spoke in mid laughter, chuckling as he walked on, followed by the smiling Red and grinning Danielle.

"You got it Boss!" the ever exuberant Trainer grinned as she saluted dutifully and ran to follow him, leaving the previously embarrassed two behind. Steven coughed as he warily turned his head to face hers.

"Sorry," he chuckled nervously again as he rubbed the back of his head in a wary smile.

"It's okay." the former Gym Leader smiled as she shook her head and began jogging to catch up with the group. "Come on!" she called and Steven returned the smile as he did so. He appreciated having his friends with him.

Imagine doing this alone.

With that thought spurring him on, the boy grinned as he ran alongside the red head.

"Here we are! The Plateau Grand Hall!" Danielle grinned as she stood outside the huge behemoth of a building, arms on her hips as she did so. Even Bill widened his eyes up at the towering monstrosity and cringed as he saw its spires pierce the skyline.

"Whoa," Steven murmured in his throat as he traced Bill's stare. Catching _himself_ staring he gave a wince of his own.

Even the _hall_ looked intimidating.

As his mind was ready to drive back into despair and doubt, he felt a light squeeze on his right hand and he turned his head in a surprised gasp to find the smiling Misty at his side.

"Don't worry; you can do this." she smiled and Steven chuckled back unsurely in his own smile.

At least _someone_ was sure.

"Come on, come on let's go!" Danielle grinned as she turned her head around to the group and with an arm of her own she wrenched the red eyed boy's left arm, pulling him with her and out of Misty's grip. He blinked and gasped as he was pulled in and the group watched on in chuckles before following on.

As the two rushed on in the large hall they were met by a huge lobby that seemed to accentuate just how large the building was outside by comparison. Steven's crimson eyes expanded open once more as he revelled in the size alone.

The ICL certainly spared no expense.

At the end of the large hall they found a receptionist, much like at the registration office. With Danielle gripping his arm Steven was pulled onwards and spluttered as he was, landing at the receptionist's front. She greeted them with an inviting smile.

"Good morning and welcome to the Indigo Conference League's Grand Hall." she began in her smile and Danielle grinned back as she raised her arms to rest behind her head in a carefree manner. "Can I help you?"

"Sure! We're here for the preliminary exam for the Regional Tournament!" the privileged Trainer grinned on and the receptionist smiled once more as she brought out a card reader like device and placed it on the table.

"May I have your ICL Trainer Cards please?" she asked and as the grinning Danielle turned to meet the frowning Steven he returned with a shake of his head and a smile for her to continue. She did so and bringing out her purse from her back pocket she took out her Trainer Card and handed it over. The receptionist smiled once more as she took it from her hands and placed it horizontally into the device before finally swiping it. It gave out audible bleeps and green lights before finally a huge picture of the young girl's Trainer Card appeared on screen the television above them all. Steven blinked as he examined it.

_Danielle Hunt_

_Trainer I.D.: 78359_

_Money: 2,200_

Along the bottom of the card were shining graphics of presumed badges only from Johto it would seem. In the top right corner was a grinning faced Danielle.

"Danielle Hunt; your seat is 29A." the receptionist smiled once more as she took the card out and handed it back to the ever grinning Trainer. "The test will begin soon,"

"Thanks!"

Steven stepped forward and took his own Trainer Card out for the receptionist to take. She did and with a smile as before ran it through the device and handed back the card. As with Danielle's, Steven's own details were placed up on screen.

"Steven Murray; your seat is 30A." she began as she handed back the card. Steven smiled and nodded, ignoring the grin from his companion next to him as she nudged his right arm. "Trainers, may you be ever favourable in victory!" the receptionist smiled at the two and Danielle grinned once more as she fist pumped the air confidently.

"I wouldn't worry about that; we've already won!" the girl grinned and grabbing the gasping Steven's arm again she rushed off around the corner and to the receptionist's left, into the open door frame. "We're gonna kick so much _ass!_" the girl exclaimed in shut eyes and a grin as they rushed in.

Once inside however they immediately stopped in widened eyes and shocked frowns.

A staggering amount of people swivelled their heads around to scowl at the pair of Trainers.

Men, women and children alike all glared at them from seats and stands in the classroom.

All of a sudden a deathly silence fell unto the air and Steven and even Danielle gulped down as their eyes slowly glided past each and every one of the intimidating Trainers.

They must have been applicants for the same exam.

_**2**_

Well wasn't _this_ a great entrance, Steven thought sarcastically to himself.

Afraid to move from his place, he winced as his eyes darted between each seeming candidate and just as quickly snapped away from their intimidating gazes.

"You getting the same creeped out feeling I am?" Danielle whispered as she lightly leaned her head in his direction, eyes unmoving from the opposing candidates.

"Yeah." the boy rasped out in reply as he gulped down saliva once more, threat and intimidating washing over his body. As if to answer to his growing paranoia, a member of the candidates stood up from his seat and with a narrow eyed, ominous grin on his face he began to advance on forward up the shallow staircase provided. Danielle and Steven immediately gasped in widened eyes and their arms snapped down to their belt for their Poké Balls.

"Hey!"

The young man stopped midway and swivelled his head 'round in a shocked frown, along with the candidates around them. Their attention pulled to the front of the class there stood a scowling, tall and dark dressed man. A long dark coat adorned his body, his beefy arms placed inside of the long coat.

Where did he _come_ from?

Surely they would have heard him come in?

"Cease! Who said you could battle?" the large man shouted on over up at the narrow eyed young man in question. "Take your seat… urchin." he added on in a narrow eyed hiss of his own. The nameless Trainer scowled back down at the invigilator though conceded with his reasoning however rebelliously, he took his time and exchanged his eyes with the similarly scowling supervisor.

"Did you hear him come in?" Steven rasped out in a wincing whisper as he leant his head over. Danielle similarly cringed and shook her head.

"All candidates! Take your seats!" the man's deep voice boomed out. Immediately everyone all rushed to their seats, presumably for fear of angering the man any further.

"Come on!" Danielle hissed as she grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him down the descending stairs to their row; the A side. Finding their seats, Danielle walked in first to take 29 and Steven took 30 on the end of the row, their seats at the front of the class.

"Less than fifteen seconds… good." the man grinned out as he shut a stopwatch he held in his beefy left arm and it was then that Steven finally got a good look at his appearance.

It frightened him.

His face was riddled with scars and burns, giving him an extremely rough expression and on his clothes he bore a symbol that he seemed to notice on a lot of Kanto's merchandise and services; the ICL, Kanto and Johto's symbol of the golden flame and the silver wing.

"My name is Clint Scott; invigilator for the ICL's Beginner Exam and from this moment on…" the man's deep voice began as he slowly grinned beneath his dark expression. "Your worst enemy." he smirked on outwards and Steven gulped as he retreated his face back a yard in wariness, cringing as he did so.

_This_ guy was scarier than the _test!_

"All right; eyes front." the man spoke up as he frowned and with a black gloved hand, tapped the black board behind him with a piece of chalk. "I never repeat a statement so this will be your only chance to listen to the rules you must all be aware of." he frowned hard as he spoke.

Steven narrowed his red eyes as he took the pencil provided on the desk he sat at, watching intently.

Clint turned and with quick fingers, he wrote across the black board and finished. As he turned back to face the class he explained. "Contrary to what some from academies may be _used_ to, every candidate will start with a perfect score of six. As you answer each and every question along your paper, every incorrect answer will drop your score by a single point. You will all be given an hour to complete this in; receive a zero and you fail." the man briefly explained as he frowned hard, joining his hands into his long dark coat as he did so. Steven wordlessly nodded as he listened in, eyes narrowed lightly.

Made sense.

"Fifteen minutes before the exam is over we will issue you with the final question, information will be prohibited _until_ it is issued." the frowning Clint explained. Steven raised a curious brown eyebrow. He turned around in his seat to find the room clock; 8:55am. He nodded in knowing. "Now… look around you." the tall man began in another grin as he watched the students. Steven blinked and turned his head around him only to find more of his classmates.

What was he looking f-?

A spider like Pokémon suddenly descended from the ceiling on a web of its own creation in between the wide eyed Danielle and Steven. Not only he but numerous candidates exclaimed in surprise as they leapt from their chairs, even almost turning to run for the exit. Clint from the front of the class grinned in a low chuckle.

"These Pokémon have been placed inside to keep watch over _all_ of you." the invigilator began in his knowing grin. "They have been specially trained to watch for any signs of cheating; anyone foolish enough to allow themselves to be caught cheating… don't deserve to take this exam in the first place." the man grinned on outward as he explained once again. As he stood, Steven narrowed his crimson orbed eyes and scanned the room.

Amazing.

Not only the spider Pokémon at his side was here but a Golbat hung from the rafters on the 'B' side of the class and an Abra sat at the invigilator's side.

How did he miss these?!

The students all turned their heads toward the narrow eyed invigilator and winced before warily sitting back down in their chairs. Clint chuckled lowly again and continued.

"If you want to be considered world class Trainers… then show us." the man began as he grinned knowingly. "Show us what exceptional Trainers you can be." he grinned. Steven narrowed his red eyes forward in another suspicious and curious frown. "Now… begin!" the man's loud voice boomed out.

Immediately pencils scratched away the papers, echoing around the room. Steven cringed painfully as they resounded within his ears and a feeling of disorientation overcame him for a few seconds. His head darted around to find his fellow classmates scowling and writing away. As he swept his head around he turned around his seat, feeling a stare upon him.

As he did he gasped in widened red eyes to find a frowning brown haired boy sitting in the 'A' row behind him, eyes narrowed. As he met his stare he narrowed his own green eyes and with a distasteful scowl turned his attention down to his paper.

Ross!

He felt someone prodding his arm and swivelling his head around curiously he found the narrow eyed Danielle gesturing down to his own paper. He blinked before gasping again and nodding. Wincing, he turned his own attention down to his paper below him and raised his pencil up next to his red capped head.

"_Okay, okay… settle down Steven; you studied for weeks on end so you can do this _no_ problem."_ he thought to himself as he turned his doubtful frown into a light smile, his red eyes watching the numbered questions below him.

His fear grew a little when he saw the size of the text.

He shook his head again of the fear and read them over.

_Question #1_

_Give an Effort Valued spread for a Pikachu and explain how you came to your answer. Also explain how the Pikachu would both benefit the team in synergy and in its Effort Value spread._

He blinked and shook his head.

Okay; next one!

_Question #2_

_If a Level 24 Tentacruel was hit by the Ground Type move 'Earthquake' by a Level 32 Dugtrio explain how much damage would be done to the opposing Tentacruel. Also factor in item bonuses, Effort Value spreads, move predictions and explain how you came to this answer. Conversely also give a possible counterattack to the opposing Dugtrio that would result in victory._

Steven stared down at the question with a zig zag frown, his red eyes widened once again. Raising his left arm to smash his brown haired head silently, he scowled lightly and moved onto the next question.

_Question #3_

_If a Sandstorm team faced a Rain Dancing team explain the possible team members, their benefits and why they were chosen. Also explain how you, as both team users, would continue to keep the favourable weather up on the battlefield and counter any possible threats on the opposing side. Also factor in Level differences, item bonuses, Effort Value spreads, move predictions and explain how you came to this answer._

"_Are you _kidding_ me?!"_ the red capped boy thought to himself as he read over the question a second time, eyes narrowed and furious. He rose up his head, as if outraged however winced as the narrow eyed Clint caught his staring, scowling back at him. He cringed and turned his attention back down to his test.

These were questions based on uncertainty; problems he could never _hope_ to solve! And each one was longer than the _last!_

Where were the subjects he was studying for?! Types and Weaknesses, Pokémon History, Battling Strategy…

These weren't _covered_ in the handbook he was given!

Panic began to wash inside the boy's body and travelled on up, almost swallowing him.

"_Oh no, no, no, no."_ the boy thought to himself as he cringed, his left arm raised and gripping at his red cap harshly, frowning in a poker face as he scribbled noisily with his pencil, his head moved up away from the paper.

"Steve." a voice hissed. The boy gasped and in widened eyes, turned his head to his right to meet the frowning Danielle. She turned her head away from him and slowly edged the paper she wrote on across the table and lowering her head and right arm, she wrote on the desk, making it look like she was continuing.

What did she-?

Was she helping him _cheat?_

The boy felt awkward though and gulped; he didn't stand a chance either way.

Maybe he should.

Carefully and with a narrow eyed frown he leaned in slowly, red eyes turned to his right and downward to watch the paper.

The questions looked diff-

The spider like Pokémon that startled him before landed on the desk directly in front of him loudly, making him metaphorically jump however he managed to hold in his breath from screaming. He first turned his eyes over to the narrow eyed spider and gulped before darting them up to find a watching Clint, a knowing dark grin on his face.

How did they know?! He hadn't even _tried_ yet!

Danielle saw his fear as he turned his attention back to his test and winced however with nothing else that could be done, she turned her own attention back to her own exam.

"_No…" _Steven thought to himself as he cringed wordlessly, shaking in his seat. _"I'm screwed!"_

_**3**_

"So…" the Hoenn representative grunted out as he took a seat across from the ever scowling ICL CEO. "I hear that the Regional Tournament is already underway," he smiled as a frowning maid took a cup of roasting tea from the tray she carried.

"Yes." the CEO grunted out as he scowled on back, taking his own cup from the offering maid. "Only the beginners,"

"Ah yes." the Hoenn bound man smiled beneath his well-designed and royal looking clothing. "The main Tournament begins two weeks from now does it not?"

"Yes." he grunted back out and finished sipping, lowering the cup back to its saucer. "Are you enjoying your stay in Kanto and Johto? There always… ways I can improve it," the CEO claimed dubiously in his narrow eyed, hard frown.

"No, no, no; please don't trouble yourself." the similarly overweight man chuckled gregariously, waving it off with a free hand as he smiled. "You've done enough." he smiled amiably and the CEO grunted once more in a scowl. "But I hope you don't mind me asking…"

"Mm?"

"Your exam proctors; specifically the one for the beginners." the Hoenn based man smiled as he began. "What's his name again…?"

"Clint. Clint Scott," the scowling CEO claimed.

"Ah yes!" the man snapped his fingers as he responded. "May I ask why he was chosen as proctor? I would like to know his… qualifications,"

The ICL CEO scowled darkly back, eyes narrowed hatefully as he did so but it did not seem to ward off the smiling and curious man.

"Very well." he began. "He is a torturer for our interrogation corps in the Indigo Conference League,"

The Hoenn based official widened his eyes from his seat and leaned on forward in surprise. "You mean… physical… torture?" he asked, almost in a wince. The CEO scowled as he shook his head and shut his eyes momentarily.

"He used to work alongside the ICL's Elite Four in retrieving stolen documents and persons from the terrorist organisation known as Team Rocket." the man claimed as he sipped another bit of tea. He placed the cup back down and continued. "Now he is an interrogator for the ICL but he probes not body but mind,"

"Mind?"

"He is a psychological torturer." the CEO began in his scowl as he explained. "He works on people's minds constantly; no one knows a human mind better than that man,"

"Isn't that… a little unfair?"

"Whatever do you mean?" the large CEO scowled back and the Hoenn based official frowned on back as he crossed his legs.

"A good portion of your new beginners must be young; around the ages of twelve and sixteen?"

"Yes,"

"To put them through such an exam with a trained individual such as Clint Scott…" the Hoenn representative began as he shook his head, eyes staring down at the steaming liquid in his cup.

"We have only the best." the CEO interrupted. The Hoenn bound man looked up from his warm drink in a surprised frown to find the Kanto and Johto official sipping from his cup. He placed it in its saucer once more with his eyes shut in his scowl as he continued. "Anyone else not up to our standards will be shown the door; we have a certain reputation to uphold,"

"That's very admirable." the Hoenn based official smiled as he turned his head a little curiously, watching the scowling though composed faced man ahead of him. "I would like to see this test that he is giving your students if possible,"

"We have some time before the Sinnoh and Unova representatives arrive…" the CEO began as he scowled down at his watch. He raising his head back up and nodded. "Very well," he responded before raising himself up from his seat.

"One more thing…"

"Hm?"

"A question about your country's terrorist organisation… Team Rocket." the Hoenn representative frowned out as he leaned his head across his elbow resting palm. The CEO raised a curious eyebrow. "We have been having some troubles of our own recently at the Mossdeep Space Centre; some unknown individuals infiltrated the Centre and stole some artefacts. Stones and meteorites of a specific research project."

The ICL CEO narrowed his eyes down at the man as he listened.

"These individuals were spotted in ebony dressed clothing as black as night with a visible red 'R' imprinted on their clothing." he continued before raising his shut eyes up to open and frown suspiciously up at the CEO. "Do you know anything about that?"

"I'm afraid not sir representative," the CEO claimed as he folded his arms in a narrow eyed scowl. The Hoenn representative kept his own eyes narrowed as a scowl slowly adorned his own face.

"Really?"

"Yes,"

Silence.

"Oh well; can't worry about matters one cannot change!" the Hoenn based official smiled all of a sudden as he shot himself up from his chair. He handed his cup of tea over to the watching maid as he smiled and the CEO scowled back.

"Follow me," he muttered as he unfolded his arms and turned to head off toward the exit.

"At your leave!" the Hoenn representative smiled good naturedly as he walked behind the man, joining his hands behind him.

The ICL CEO's fury burned with an intense, silent hatred as always.

_**4**_

"_Sixth question, sixth question…"_ Steven thought to himself, frenzied as he winced and shook. _"Everything comes down to _that._" _he finished in his own thoughts as he scowled as determinedly as he could manage, snapping his head up to watch the proctor's.

"All right listen up!" Clint exclaimed out as he tapped the chalk in his hand into the board behind him in a narrow eyed frown. "Now it's time for the sixth and final question!"

Steven gulped down hard as he listened, eyes narrowed. Silence fell down upon the intimidated group of students and the sounds of scratching pencils receded almost immediately.

"But before I issue it out to you all there are some rules you need to be aware of." he spoke out and continued as he frowned. "There are rules unique to question six; regardless of how well or how badly you answered the other five… you will fail." he claimed in his hard eyed frown.

Danielle next to him shook to an almost violent level; the desk groaned as she presumably kicked it in frustration and Steven winced next to her, her head lowered, perhaps to avoid showing any frustration.

He didn't blame her.

The examiner seemed to notice it though only smiled lightly, opting to do nothing about it.

"However… you all have a choice; you may choose to take the question and continue on with the test. Conversely if you _don't_ then you will receive a zero, which consequently means you fail." the tall and muscled man explained in his narrow eyed frown.

Numerous murmurings echoed around the room by the listening students and soon erupted into shouts about taking the question. Clint frowned and lowered his head lightly as he shut his eyes.

"Not so fast… you didn't let me finish." the proctor frowned out as he lowered his head in a light faced frown.

"More_ rules?! Jeez shut _up_ already!" _Steven exclaimed in his thoughts as he scowled on forward angrily.

"If you choose to take question six and answer it incorrectly… you will not only fail the exam…" he began and a scowl slowly began to form on his roughed up face. The watching students listened on, leaning forward on their desks to wait for his answer, transfixed. He snapped his eyes open and head up, scowling darkly as he exclaimed. "You will be _barred_ from picking up a Poké Ball and battling _ever again!_" the tall man finally finished out as he scowled openly.

Steven gasped aloud in widened, red eyes as he watched, his facial expression – _and_ his body – shaking. He dropped his pencil to the desk in presumable shock as he watched disbelievingly.

"B-Barred?" he whispered out in his shock faced expression. "From… battling?"

"That's _bullshit!_"

Steven gasped again as he turned his head to find the same youth that rebelled against the proctor before, raised from his seat and standing. He pointed an accusing finger at the similar faced examiner.

"There are repeat beginners here taking the test _again!_" he began in his narrow eyed and furious scowl. "This isn't _fair!_"

A chuckle pervaded the air, low and ominous and stopped the young man in a surprised gasp. The proctor stood with a low smirk before raising his head once more and grinned on darkly as he spoke. "I guess you're just…" he began and opened up his eyes. "Unlucky." the man finished out in his dark grin.

Steven's lower lip quivered as he lowered his head into his hands, gripping the sides of his head as he did so. His elbows rested on the table in front of him, shaking._ "I-I can't… if I…"_

"If any of you are not feeling confident then by all means skip the question." Clint continued outwith as he frowned on back at the youth, perhaps in particular. The young man watched on in widened eyes. "That way you can come back and try again in three years' time." he finished in a derisive chuckle, grinning as he did so. "Now… finally, the sixth and final question; those who wish not to take it, please raise your hand. Your Trainer I.D. will be recorded and you will be free to go."

Silence descended upon the group of students. Some of the candidates turned to exchange wary looks with one another, some even cringing.

"_What could the question be?"_ Steven thought to himself as he raised his head up momentarily to cringe continually, shaking uncontrollably as he did so. _"If I get it wrong I'll… I'll never be able to battle ever again!"_

A candidate next to the narrow eyed Danielle raised his hand up shakily and cringed as he stood up, his chair squeaking against the ground as he did so. "I'm out. I can't do it! I can't handle this!" the young man exclaimed, eyes shut and ashamed. "I'm sorry." he finished in a weak whisper.

"I'm out!"

"Me too!"

"I can't do it either!"

As the first of them fell so did many others; like a dominoes wall, they all fell crushing down, cringing and turning their heads away from the watchful eyes of their examiner. As a device above the students bleeped and ran a green light over the students' bodies, their Trainer I.D. was recorded as promised. A uniformed male walked into the classroom and stood at the top end, eyes narrowed as he folded his arms. The students, once their I.D.'s had finished recording, turned and trudged on up to meet the escort. Soon enough they were escorted on out, leaving the classroom.

Steven's lower lip trembled hard and he cringed continually as he fought back tears.

"_I kinda ran away from home swearing to my parents I'd prove them wrong so I wanna be Pokémon battling Champion in order to do that,"_

_"Of course I do! I care about being Pokémon battling Champion!"_

_"You're lookin' at Steven Murray the next Kanto Champion! Not just some kid,"_

_"Ha! All right girls better get that badge ready! You're lookin' at a future champion!"_

Everything he had worked for… everything he believed in… he couldn't go through with it now if he failed.

He might not even be able to keep his promise to Misty and become a simple Gym Leader in a safe life.

"Pst! Steve!" Danielle's voice hissed over but the boy wasn't listening. "I'm not givin' up! So I don't want to see you givin' up eith-" she began in a light grin as she hissed in a low whisper however the boy interrupted her though not verbally. He shakily and very slowly rose on up his arm, his eyes shut and a pained, trembling frown on his face. Danielle's eyes widened and she gaped on as she watched, unable to believe it.

Ross watched on, a seat behind the usually fierce red capped Trainer and even he watched on in shock. "I don't believe it." he whispered out, more to himself than anyone else.

Steven shook terribly as he sat, his left arm raised and waiting for the device to recognise his actions.

A/N: STEVEN FAILS, THE END


	29. The Will of a Battler

**Chapter 29: The Will of a Battler**

_ICL League Arc – The Droika Cup_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Chapter Briefing._

_** "Strong and Strike" –** **Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **1**._

_** "The Matter's Settled" – Pokémon Anime OST. **Scene **2**. (First and Second Half)._

_The ICL League's exams have finally begun and with it an overbearing feeling of overwhelming despair for Steven. As he sits himself down to finally take the ICL's Beginner's Exam, he slowly but surely finds his progress impeded in every way he tries to travel. Unfortunately this is also compounded by the exam's proctor whom although is frightening enough on his own, imposes many rules that hamper his progress even further at every turn. _

_And now faced with the ultimate choice to take a question that could change his life completely, Steven's stress has only grown and even the greatly prospected Ross Oak himself is challenged._

_Steven opts to raise his hand to evade the question and live to Battle for another day…_

_**Scene 1**_

Rain pattered against the window of the exam room and as it resounded loudly from outside, Steven did just as his other classmates had been advised to do and slowly, shakily and with shame raised up his left hand.

His usually proud and fierce red eyes shut tightly; he cringed continually and fought back the tears that threatened to pierce his eyes. Danielle watched from his side and cringed as she did so. Ross watched from behind the boy and couldn't seem to believe it; his eyes stayed widened as he watched him, memories of the ever fierce red eyed Trainer always claiming to be Champion and always claiming to one day beat him.

Yet it never seemed to happen and now… now it seemed as if it never _would_ happen.

Ross shut his green eyes in a strange mixture of disappointment, anger and resentment towards the boy. "Tch…" he muttered in his mouth, shaking his head as he lowered it down at his test paper.

"Hmm." Clint began in a hard eyed frown as he watched the wincing boy. "All right! Candidate number 30A, fai-"

Steven suddenly brought his left arm down to the table in a resounding crash, alerting all those near him and interrupting the narrow eyed invigilator. With an accompanying scream he forced his chair backwards in a groan and snapped up his arm to point directly at the scowling proctor.

"Don't think I'm gonna turn tail and run 'cause I _ain't!_" the boy screamed and numerous members of the classroom all gasped aloud in shock bar a few. The watching proctor raised his eyebrows in a show of light surprise. "I don't care if I'll lose the license to pick up a Poké Ball _again;_ I'll _still_ Battle on! I'll become Champion through sheer _will_ alone! So take that _and_ your sixth question!" the boy finished as he gave a final 'hmph' and folded his arms as he sat back down in a narrow eyed scowl, mixing his with the watching proctor's.

The watching Danielle slowly turned her disappointed frown into a surprised and happy, light smile. _"Proud of ya, you knucklehead!"_ she thought to herself before turning her attention back to the watching proctor, her resolve set.

"_Clueless as ever."_ Ross thought to himself in a simple frown before he smirked superiorly as he usually did. _"Should have known."_

Clint soon turned his watching scowl into a tiny smile as he scanned the room, watching the remainder of the candidates left.

"_Ten left. That's a lot more than I thought there'd be."_ the tall, dark coated invigilator thought to himself as he frowned at the group. _"That scream of his seems to have given the others a boost of confidence… impressive."_ he continued to himself before locking eyes once more with the determined red orbs of the Pallet Town Trainer. He grinned back lightly before nodding. "Very well! To the remaining candidates there is just one thing left to say!" he began.

Steven and Danielle narrowed their eyes as they leaned on forward, watching and waiting for the sixth and final question.

"That you have _all_ passed the Beginner's Exam!" the tall man grinned back out as he finished. Steven's hardened nerves almost broke and he gasped for the umpteenth time since starting the exam and lowered his folded arms as he did so.

"P-Passed?" Danielle gasped out disbelievingly, blinking. However quick anger replaced her bewilderment and she growled as she raised herself up to pull his attention. "What are you _talking _about? Where's the sixth question?!"

"There never was one; your decision to stay was the end question of the exam in a way!" the man's loud voice boomed out in the classroom's walls. Danielle blinked in wonder as she listened however another interruption aided her.

"So what about the other five questions? Why have us go through them?" Ross' calm voice intoned out as he spoke from his sitting seat. Clint looked up from his place at the front of the class.

"All an exam of endurance; to test your psychological mettle as not only Trainers but Pokémon Battlers as well. To be constantly on the watch for the guards' eyes and to find a way through their defences,"

"That doesn't make any sense!" Danielle shot back as she narrowed her eyes forward. "If we were supposed to avoid getting caught cheating… then where the hell were the answers?"

"Did no one here even realise why I placed this Abra next to me?" the proctor began in his knowing grin as he gestured down to the sitting Pokémon at his side. Everyone watched on in blinks, murmurings echoing in the class. "My Golbat and Ariados were placed here in order to keep watch over you all that's true, but my Abra was the key supplier of the information that you needed for those questions. The five questions we laid out for you… did none of you begin to wonder just how difficult they were?" he continued in his grinning explanation.

"Um… sure but tell us anyway!" Danielle shot over in her narrow eyed frown.

"They were much too difficult to solve, too difficult for any Pokémon Trainer at your level anyway. Our exam not only encouraged cheating, it _demanded _it." he began and as he caught the blank looks of everyone in the class he grinned on as he continued. "Sometimes the answer is much closer to home than you think; if you had just calmed down in the middle of your panic and opened your mind to the Abra it would have channelled the answers directly into your brain via its psychic powers." the man claimed in his light grin. It expanded however as he continued. "But I daresay you've all figured that out by now haven't you?" he asked outright.

"Umm… yeah." Danielle winced as she took her seat once more.

"To calm yourself and your nerves in the middle of a fierce Pokémon Battle… it can be one of the most difficult things in this life to achieve…" the man began as he gradually removed the gloves at his arms. Steven raised his brown eyebrows as he watched, transfixed. As he removed them the boy's red eyes widened in surprise. "But once handled properly, it can be one of your greatest weapons!" he finished in an exclamation as he raised his two hands to show off towards the wide eyed students.

Burn marks even worse than the ones on his face covered his hands and all kinds of scars.

"My… god…" Danielle gasped quietly to herself as she leant back. The proctor grinned as he watched them all recoil before he slowly slipped his gloves back on.

"Some risks must be taken; in order to survive you cannot always sit back and delay progress. I gave you the choice to both accept a question that had the potential to destroy your career or the chance to increase it. Some risks that Pokémon Trainers come across seem almost suicidal when one really thinks about it but these are just the kind of risks that a Champion and the national Elite Four must face every day!" he exclaimed as he explained.

"Elite… Four…" Steven murmured as he listened.

"You do _not_ let the risks overwhelm your mind; you think only of the goal and how to achieve that goal through courage, intelligence and will! Those who would put their Pokémon's lives at risk by worrying about their own… those who would abandon them to save their own necks will _never_ be able to call themselves Pokémon Battling Champion; at least not while I'm overseeing this exam." he explained in his narrow eyed frown. "But… as for the rest of you… you ten candidates have earned the right to move onto the main Tournament! I hereby declare this portion of the ICL's Pokémon League Tournament completed. There's nothing else for me to say but… to wish you all good luck," the man finished in his booming voice but this time and for the first time with a warm smile.

"Ha!" Steven exclaimed as he punched at the air with a flying fist, grinning as he did so. "I did it! I _knew_ I would!" he yelled out in his open mouthed grin. Danielle laughed along with him, eliciting the other relieved class members to smile as they watched.

"Damn kid…" Ross muttered under his breath as he scowled hatefully down at the red capped boy.

"_He's a strange one that kid."_ the proctor thought to himself, giving a tiny grin as he watched him celebrate. "All right! All of you are dismissed! Trainers; may you be ever favourable in victory!"

_**2**_

Steven breathed heavily to himself as he stood inside the ICL League's contender hall next to his Pokémon of choice; his Blastoise. As he waited in the dark hall he heard the announcer's introduction of everyone participating in the Tournament.

This was huge; it felt as intimidating as the last exam.

Stress rising.

Just believe, he thought.

His Blastoise prodded for his attention and as he turned his head to give it, the Water Type turtle Pokémon grinned as it bent its elbow up to raise a confident fist in the air. Steven chuckled in a light though wary grin before turning his attention forward.

Glad one of us is sure of ourselves, he thought.

Wait for the cue.

"And now for this year's challengers! Please welcome the new generation of Pokémon Battlers!" the announcer's voice echoed.

That was it!

As the announcer finished, trumpets began blaring a theme song of some kind and as the audience screamed their applause, Steven gulped down hard and walked awkwardly alongside his Blastoise and out into the searing light.

"Hey look here they come!" Misty smiled as she pointed on down at the oncoming army of challengers. As they sat on the audience stands, Bill at her left side narrowed his brown eyes as he scanned them all, looking for their companion.

"I can't see him…" he frowned out however widened his eyes as he saw the scowling form of Ross Oak. "I see Ross!" he exclaimed as he pointed directly down towards his lower left. Misty traced it to find the named boy himself with a scowling Venusaur stomping on next to him. With a narrow eyed scowl, he raised his head up superiorly, his walk full of confidence and a hint of arrogance. "He's sure not hurting for confidence," the Administrator cringed lightly as he watched.

"I see that." Misty muttered in a narrow eyed frown. "But where's Steve? I can't see him." she lamented out as she scanned around once more. Red made a surprised sound and pointed directly with one of her fingers. Misty traced her companion's finger once more however this time she found what she was looking for.

"Steven could use a bit of Ross' confidence." Bill spoke as he followed their stares. Sure enough the red capped boy was almost tripping in his walk next to the other scowling challengers around him, apologising inaudibly as he did so. His Blastoise righted him as well it could as they walked on.

"As the challengers approach the circle, the previous Champion would like to say a few words!" the announcer's voice echoed out just as the said challengers finally found their standing positions. Above even the podium in front of the challengers and overlooking the large stadium was a commentators' box where the announcers sat in and four others; the ever scowling faced ICL CEO and the smiling Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova representatives.

A young man with a long cape and a fiery haircut soon began to ascend up the podium overlooking the challengers and turned to face them, his eyes scanning over. Steven raised his head on up to watch him and found him a picture perfect of strength.

Imagine it was _him_ standing on that podium about to give a talk.

"Greetings to all new challengers!" he exclaimed on forth and instantly, like moths to a light, the audience all erupted; the men in cheers and the women in wanting squeals. "My name is Lancelot Droika and I am honoured to say as previous Champion of the ICL's Pokémon League Tournament that this year's Tournament is named after me as the Droika Cup!" the man's voice echoed through the microphone. Again the audience erupted in cheer for their Champion. "However I will not be taking part this year! I have made the decision to rightfully step aside and allow the new generation of Battlers a chance to grow and strive for the title of Champion!" he continued and received some mixed applause.

"He's not!" Steven gasped in widened, red eyes.

Things looked better all of a sudden.

"With that information given to you all I wish all challengers and especially new ones good luck!" the young man exclaimed and once again the audience screamed for him. "Trainers!" he began and raised his left arm horizontally to his left side, catching his long cape in mid-air as he did so. "May you be _all_ favourable in victory!"

Immediately the watching crowd squealed and even raised themselves from their seats to clap for him. Lancelot watched on with a narrow eyed frown before snapping his left arm up to billow his cape back behind him. He turned and walked on off the podium to their applause and Steven smiled as they did so.

Guess he had nothing to worry about.

Seemed Lancelot had quite the fan club, Steven thought to himself in a grin as he turned around his head to find a large majority of the women giving the man a standing ovation.

He briefly imagined him in Lancelot's place and gained himself a chuckle out of it.

"You liking that too?" the grinning Danielle shot over as she stood next to him, nudging his elbow. Her Umbreon sat on her own shoulder as her Pokémon of choice.

"Oooh Mr. Popular!" Steven grinned as he raised his arms to his two sides in jazz hand mocking. Danielle snorted childishly.

"And now a word from this year's sponsor! The walking Pokémon encyclopaedia!" the announcer from his box in the top left of the huge stadium's announcer's box exclaimed, his voice reverberating as he stood from his seat and looked on down past the glass box below him. "Our very own Professor Samuel Oak!"

The audience once again erupted into cheer though admittedly not nearly as much as they did for Lancelot Droika. Steven's red eyes widened as his name was called and snapped his head up to find the scowling white haired man himself climbing on up the podium as the previous Champion once had. He was also accompanied by two other men though much younger; dressed in simple coats and work shirts and ties.

"Old man Oak!" Steven whispered out in a shocked gasp. Danielle blinked.

"You _know_ him?"

The Pokémon Professor cleared his throat before beginning in his usual grumpy frown. "Greetings to all in Kanto and Johto; I thank you all for coming!" the elderly researcher introduced and the audience's cheer grew once more. "Pokémon or… Pocket Monsters as they were originally called is a term coined to give name to the amazing creatures we see in our everyday lives." the old man started. "We take them for granted and depend on them perhaps a little too much; even this very Competition could be shown as simple exploitation." he claimed in his frown and the audience gave mixed cheers and puzzled frowns. He continued however. "But I believe it is imperative that this tradition of the Indigo Conference League's Championship continue; it continues to test the abilities, relationships and minds of both humans _and_ Pokémon!"

Immediately the cheers came back again and with a vengeance. Steven even found himself smiling in agreement with the old man.

"Before continuing I would like to thank Interpol and their two finest agents for saving my life in the Saffron takeover a few weeks past!" the old man interrupted into a frown as he gestured toward a similarly frowning man next to him wearing a long brown coat. His simple black hair was flat and spiky at its fringe's end, a narrow eyed look in his expression. "Agent Looker!" he introduced and as the frowning man nodded respectfully, the audience cheered for him. Oak turned his head and body to gesture to the other man on his right side. "And Agent Ketak!" he introduced once more. His hair long and ebony and placed in a neat ponytail, he ran a single hand through the fringe and smirked as he winked at the audience vainly, issuing a single finger gun.

Steven chuckled as he watched him grin at the audience.

"I have heard that my grandson is competing this year and I ask that not a single challenger go easy on him because of his status and lineage!" the elderly veteran spoke out in his narrow eyed frown. The watching audience screamed their applause for him and Oak gave a rare smile as he continued. "That also goes for my other protégé; the red eyed boy." he finished in his light smile and a lower of his voice. Once again the audience cheered for him and as Steven gasped in shock, the old man lowered his head and locked eyes with the shock faced Steven.

The boy slowly found himself grinning back, his Blastoise nodding at its old master in approval.

"Trainers!" Oak began as he frowned once more out at the contenders with a hard eyed expression. "May you all be favourable in victory!"

_**3**_

Lancelot Droika shut his eyes and sent his cape billowing up once to halt it from making any more trouble as he walked back through the VIP's tunnel. His footsteps echoed in the dark hall as he walked, his cape's chain clinking away as he did so.

"Bravo dear Lance, bravo… or should I say… ex-Champion?" a voice interrupted his walk in a reverberating chuckle, accompanied by an echoing clap of hands. Lancelot stopped and swished his body around in a light eyed frown to find a young woman in a short and simple black dress, falling to her knees. She wore loose golden bracelets on her arms and transparent glasses that fit snugly around her face. Her hair was red in colour and long in length, fixed into a neat ponytail with a long part of her fiery crimson hair pointed diagonally down near her glasses, the other hanging comfortably at the side.

"Lorelei…" Lancelot began as he frowned back at the woman. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing." the woman smiled beneath her glasses as she lowered her softly folded arms and walked over to the young man. "I'd just like to ask your opinion,"

"Of what?"

"What do you mean 'of what'? The competition of course," the Ice Type specialist smiled patiently. Lancelot frowned back before lowering his eyes, as if pondering.

"They seem… standard,"

"I hear Oak's grandson is among them,"

"Mm… the tragedy survivor… Ross wasn't it?"

Lorelei nodded in her light smile. "That's correct and he's not the only interesting candidate,"

Lancelot billowed his cape around as he shut his eyes in his hard frown as he turned to continue on. Lorelei smiled as usual as she walked alongside him. "Oh?" he asked simply and her smile grew a little.

"Clint Scott… he spoke of one of the younger challengers very highly,"

That made him stop. Lancelot turned his flame haired head around in a narrow eyed frown. "Who?"

Anyone to make it through with flying colours through Clint Scott's psychological exam was worthy of a battle in his personal opinion.

"A young boy also from Pallet; his name is Murray. Steven Murray,"

"Hrm." the Elite Four's leader frowned out thoughtfully. "And he passed did he,"

"With flying colours as I hear,"

"Interesting…" Lancelot murmured as he turned his eyes away from the smiling woman.

"What's more I hear Ross Oak and this boy are unspoken rivals; every time they pass one another they give off a certain aura. One that Agatha and Samuel Oak used to,"

"That's quite something." the ex-Champion frowned back out in his thoughtful expression. "Perhaps we should keep an eye on their progress,"

"Perhaps so; it wouldn't be prudent to consider asking either one of them in time to-?"

"Hmph." Lancelot shot back out coolly as he swung his cape once again in a shut eyed frown, turning to continue on. "Give them time; they are still young." the young man's voice called back down the corridor, echoing.

Lorelei replied only with a wordless smile as she joined her arms together for a cool and soft folding.

_**4**_

Samuel Oak grumbled to himself as he walked on back down the corridor he came through, his two protectors Looker and Ketak hot on his heels. "Time, time, time…" he muttered under his breath.

Never enough of it.

He done this pre-Tournament talk as a favour to Lancelot Droika of the Elite Four; not so he could be scowled at by the ICL's overweight, over pretentious, overbearing chief executive officer.

He almost even gave the fat, miserable man a punch square in the face last they met.

"Mr. Oak."

Samuel grunted as he swivelled his head 'round to his right to find the frowning Looker behind him.

"May I ask what your history is with the ICL's chief in charge?"

Oak snorted in a cynical grin. "You may but you may also _regret_ it,"

"Oh come on gramps." Agent Ketak's impudent voice chimed in and the old man shot his head to his left behind him. The long black haired Agent grinned back with his arms resting behind his head care freely and winking as he did so. "We've probably heard worse in _our_ line o' work,"

"Tch." the elderly researcher spat out before turning back his head. "The stupid, fat fuck tried to blackmail me into joining the Elite F-"

"Wrong actually!"

Samuel gasped and oak eyes around the dark corridor to find a grinning figure leaning against the wall with its arms folded. "Who's there?!" he exclaimed out and his two bodyguards next to him tensed up for a possible engagement. The figure grinned once more before leaning off the wall and walking into the light, bringing out a wooden stick and shambling on in the light.

It was an old woman with a shaky and spiky ponytail, smirking as she usually did in Oak's company. The Pokémon Professor glowered on back as he seemed to recognise her, eyes narrowed.

"Hello… Samuel," the old woman greeted in a dangerous, toothy smirk as she watched on from the dark end of the corridor.

"Agatha," Oak shot back in a glare of his own though his with no smirk.

"Should we…?" Agent Ketak murmured out as he stood in a narrow eyed battle stance, watching the old woman with indiscriminate suspicion.

"Everything's fine; you can both go on without me." the old man reassured the tensed two in a narrow eyed glare. His scowl grew worse as he 'rounded it on the reluctant Agents. "Go!" he barked and Ketak cringed before nodding and walking on past as if nothing had happened. Looker, unafraid from the grumpy researcher, sighed as he followed his partner, exchanging a narrow eyed glare of his own with the grinning old woman.

Their footsteps took their time in echoing away but as they did, Agatha's eyes slowly traversed back to Oak's dulled brown and they glared silently at one another. "What do you want?" the Professor snapped out as he scowled at her.

Agatha chuckled. "Nothing to keep you waiting dear boy; I know how you always _hated_ waiting,"

"You don't know me anymore no matter how much you like to _think_ you do." Oak muttered back in his venomous glare. "Stop calling me that as well; I'm not_ that_ much younger than _you_ are you know,"

"You'll always be my _'dear boy'._" the old woman chuckled again as she shambled on forward with her walking stick. Professor Oak's scowl twitched angrily. "Whatever happened to the old days Samuel… when it was just you, me, Kurt, Pryce, Cathy and George?"

Oak's scowl turned up at the mention of those names. "I don't have time to reminisce; I have work to be doing,"

Agatha let out a scowl this time however and as she struck her cane into the ground harshly she responded. "No of _course_ not; who _ever_ has the time?" she muttered in her dark eyed glare. "All you _have_ is time you belligerent old _fart_." the old woman sneered in her scowl. "You'll _never_ finish your so called 'work'; that… machine of yours…" she began as she shakily poked her stick at the Pokédex machine in Oak's side laboratory coat pocket. He narrowed his eyes back at her. "Will _never_ be complete; sending off your little grandson and that red eyed boy to complete it for you will avail you _nothing,_"

"I am well aware that there are Pokémon still being discovered."

Agatha smiled sarcastically and even nodded in her smirk.

"But I'm not about to give up my pursuit just because you tell me it's futile." the old man spat back in a glare of his own. Agatha's sarcastic smirk fell instantly to a scowl. "Fighting is for idiots; cavemen. I leave that to my grandson, his little rival… and you 'Elites'," the veteran shot back as he turned his nose up at the growling old woman.

"Listen to yourself you old _cunt!_" Agatha finally exclaimed as she brandished her cane like it was a sword, swiping it at the air for effect. "You're a relic of the past and so are your ideals! Your two little errand boys will never be able to catch up with the new species eventually just as we couldn't! You're a fool Oak! An old fool!" the old woman screamed angrily at him.

"At least I'm not _rolling_ in the ICL's mud to play _tricks_ for that fat _fuck_ of a CEO!" Oak angrily shot back as he scowled openly, gripping his free right fist hard at his side. "The last thing I want to do is _decrease_ the rate of evolution! Reports of petty slander… name calling… law suits…" he began as he scowled darkly. "It's all just going to destroy people's intelligence down the long run! Everyone's so afraid of their goddamn _shadow_ to see the truth!" he continued, his echoing voice reverberating as it climbed to a similar sounding scream. "My grandson… Ross… and his red eyed rival… they're different. Different than we were all those years ago,"

"What do you mean?" she muttered out venomously.

"Something about them… they aren't as afraid to show their true selves in society's light. If they can influence the older generation like they did me… then maybe…" Samuel began, this time in a lower tone of voice, lowering to a murmur as he turned his head downward in deep thought. Agatha snorted.

"You're holding on to a pipe dream you old fool." the old woman shot back and Samuel's head snapped back up. "You're the same as ever; you'll never change," she sneered and shook her head in disgust. Samuel smirked however and shook his own head back at her in defiance.

"Wrong." he shot back. She gasped in lightly widened eyes and he continued. "I've evolved far more than you think I have… Agatha," he added and as she stood in a blinking eyed frown he continued walking on and as he brushed past her he smirked in a victorious expression. Finally however she recovered and as she did, the old crone swung around to glare him down as he walked off.

"_You're a fool Oak! A decrepit old fool!_"

Professor Samuel Oak smirked as he walked.

_**5**_

"So was that _bitchin'_ or _what?!_" Danielle grinned out as she flung her arms up into the air. Steven laughed in his own grin before shooting a thumbs up into the air in agreement.

"You damn right!"

"All right, settle down you two." Bill sighed as he frowned in frustration, the group currently walking along inside the Grand Hall itself, the many challengers that marched in the stadium before currently behind them. Now en route to the Feasting Hall for the pre-Tournament Feast as promised, the group left behind the Opening Ceremony. "We can't chance any breakages here or whatever okay?" the edgy Administrator mumbled as he swept his eyes behind him, as if to look for any officials. Danielle and Steven chuckled together in childish grins. Misty shook her head disapprovingly at the two as she frowned as she exchanged a shrug with the watching Red.

Finally as the early trio found the dining room in their small adventure, Danielle and Steven both gasped in widened eyes as they entered the humongous room, clearly taken aback by the sheer size.

"It's _huge!_" Danielle gasped and Steven grinned.

"Look at all that _food!_" the boy excitedly exclaimed as he pointed over. Danielle's eyes expanded even further if that were possible and she slammed a hand on the red capped boy's left shoulder, as if to gain a better foot hold to have a better view.

"Digs first!" the girl grinned as she suddenly bolted forward.

"Hey no fair!"

"Excuse me!" a voice interrupted and the two immediately cringed as they turned their heads around, like children being caught stealing. An official stood in the doorway, folded arms and all as he scowled over at the two. "Please take the seat… _designated_ to you," he glared on over and the two chuckled back nervously.

Misty sighed as she lowered her face into her palm in light stress. "It's like trying to deal with a couple of _kids,_"

Red giggled.

* * *

"I still can't get over the _size_ of this place!" Steven grinned as he sat at his designated table, a similarly expressed Danielle on his side.

"I know, right?"

"It's all because of you," Misty shot in from Steven's left. He blinked his red eyes before turning them on the smiling red head. Beneath her long fringe he saw her aqua marine eyes and his cheeks turned red again.

Agh!

Why wouldn't it _stop?_

"W-What do you mean?" he stammered out in a wondering blink.

"Well… you always did say you wanted to be Champion didn't you?" she asked as she leant her elbows on the tablecloth below her, smiling as she turned her head at him.

"Well yeah but…"

"You've done a lot more than you give yourself credit for." she smiled in soft interruption as she slipped some fingers into his left hand. He gasped in his throat and widened his red eyes as she did, tensing immediately. She chuckled at him. "Learn to lose some of that embarrassment; it'd be nice to go into this thing mutual you know?" she asked in her warm smile as she turned her head a little curiously at him.

Oh man; she _meant_ it!

He lowered his red eyes and scrambled his brain to think of the right thing to say before finally raising up his eyes to speak to her. "I…"

"Greetings to all!"

The boy and his companion gasped in surprise as they turned around their heads to find one of the ICL's officials smiling at the huge dinner hall, tapping a glass with his spoon to alert them. Steven turned his head again to meet Misty's; she shook her head softly of the matter in a light smile as he raised up his arm to continue it. He winced and turned his head back to listen to the official.

Real smooth, he thought.

"First of all a big congratulations to _all_ of the initial First Test passers! Well done!" the young man smiled as he raised up his glass of wine into the air. Loud applause and some whistling followed; the official chuckled before continuing. "This year's Tournament is bound to be one of the biggest in Kanto and Johto's history so let's make it a good one!" the man began as he raised his glass up once more. The audience erupted into cheer and he chuckled once more. "And now I give you, our government's leader; the Indigo Conference League's Chief Executive Officer!" the official smiled as he turned his glass over in introducing the overweight man in question.

He grunted in a usual scowl as he pulled himself up from his lavish chair, the chair groaning from his weight and legs. "Hello all and welcome to the one hundred and fiftieth World Tournament." the large man began out robotically as he scowled at the surprised and murmuring group. "I expect you all to show us your powers and… things like that." he mumbled out, waving his beefy left arm in the air and making nonsense gestures with it as he did so. "Eh; enjoy." he muttered and grunted again as he plonked himself back down into his large seat, sighing as he did so. As one of the other region's representatives – a woman and Sinnoh's – turned around to face him in a hard frown, he turned over to shrug angrily at her.

"Ahh…" the ICL official blinked outwith as he watched before shaking it off and smiling as he raised himself again. "And that was from our leader! The CEO everyone!" he smiled and tiny and mixed applause gathered for the large man. He glared at each and every clapper, thus silencing them. "Uhm… anyway…" the official murmured in a sweat drop as he rubbed the back of his head in a wince. "I open this pre-Tournament Feast for all to enjoy! Please enjoy your time in Kanto and Johto and may you be all favourable in victory!" the man smiled as he turned his head around to exclaim at the huge group of Battlers and as he did so, a large flock of Pidgeotto flew in the room to let out banners and confetti from their claws, the butlers and maids nearby yanking off the cloths that covered the food.

The group all erupted into cheer as they watched before digging in to the food and turning to their tablemates for conversation.

As Steven lazily stabbed his food with a fork softly, he frowned wistfully as he thought back to his previous conversation with Misty and how bad it went. He leaned on his left elbow, his palm in the side of his head as he winced lightly.

Could have handled it better, he thought.

"_I…"_

Was that _all_ he had to say?

Ugh!

He felt eyes boring into him and blinked as he turned his head to his left to find a frowning Misty watching him. He broke into a light smile as she waved and smiled back before she turned around to continue her conversation with Bill. He lost his smile as he sighed and turned his attention back down to his plate.

Maybe he could talk to her about it later.

A smile grew on his face at the thought. Yeah, he thought; it wasn't as embarrassing as before and maybe he could finally find out why he felt like this every time he was near her.

It'd certainly be a start.

His confidence increased, the red capped boy grinned as he raised his head and stuck the food into his mouth, chewing away. He chuckled as he mixed his closed mouthed grin with the watching Danielle.

"_What the _FUCK?!"

Everyone cringed and turned their heads over to the main table ahead of them and conversation almost _instantly_ died down. The owner of the outburst was none other than the angry faced CEO, throwing his glass of wine across the table and smashing on the floor.

"It tastes of _PISS!_" the overweight man exclaimed belligerently, darting his head around, as if for the culprit. "Who the _fuck_ would-"

As if on cue, a grinning young man dressed in the butlers' uniform threw off a mask he wore and laughed a particular song as he pointed in hilarity towards the wide eyed and vein popping CEO.

"Steve!" Misty hissed as she yanked on his red and white jacket. "Is that Kevin?"

The boy's red orbs widened as he saw the laughing young man, waving way at the angry man. "Oh man it _is!_ What's _he_ doing here?"

"_FUCKEEEERRRRR!_" the CEO suddenly screamed out, making his tablemates cringe instantly as they sat next to him. On cue, he leapt up from his lavish chair and even climbed _over_ the table, spilling food, wine and all sorts. With surprising speed, the large man shot over like a bullet to chase the grinning young man. The young man – Kevin – turned his grin on the table Misty and Steven sat at and issuing forth a final grin, wink and finger guns salute, he turned and thus ran for all he was worth. The ICL CEO was furious and on his tail, like a Nidoking chasing its prey.

"I can't believe…" Danielle murmured out as she watched. "He just did that,"

"We all can't Danni." Misty sighed as she sunk her face into her palm.

Steven couldn't help but snort in laughter as he heard the belligerent CEO's voice echoing down the corridor, screaming that he would anally sodomise the trolling young man.

"Oh it's been a good day today." the red capped boy grinned as he poked a bit of food with his fork and sunk it into his mouth.

A/N: ceo plz

EDIT: Forgot to mention I don't own Naruto either for the inclusion of the Initial Test proctor; epic inspiration is epic. Thank you Kishimoto!


	30. Fight! Round One!

**Chapter 30: Fight! Round One!**

_ICL League Arc – The Droika Cup_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Chapter Briefing._

_** "Pokémon Stadium" – Super Smash Brothers Melee OST. **Scene **1.**_

_** "Sasuke's Theme" – Naruto Part I OST. **Scene **2**. (First Half)_

_** "Trainer Battle" – Pokémon Red, Green and Blue OST. **Scene **2.** (Second Half)_

_** "Gym" –** **Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Scene **3**._

_**"Hoenn Trainer Battle" – Pokémon XD and the Gale of Darkness OST.**__ Chapter Boss Battle.__Scene __**4**_.

_** "I Got A Victory Badge"**_ – _**Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**5.**_

_Finally the Tournament has begun and with it a mixed sense of excitement and dread almost all at once for the newcomer Steven. As he passes his frightening first test his confidence takes a further hit by the appearance of long-time rival and former friend Ross Oak he goes through the ICL's opening ceremony and as a result almost chokes with the stress._

_Luckily however his companions William and Misty keep him from the edge of breaking and keep his confidence from crumbling away under the influence of his rival Ross. As his companions and he finish up at the ICL's pre-Tournament Feast, he and his new companion Danielle both move back to the main reception to finally report for their first preliminary battle in the ICL's…_

_**Scene 1**_

"Good morning and welcome to the Indigo Conference League! May I ask your business?" the receptionist smiled over warmly. Steven returned the smile and nodded before taking out his wallet and bringing out his ICL brand Trainer Card. "Ah!"

"Yeah I… finished the Beginner's Test." the red capped boy smiled in a nervous laugh as he handed over the card and rubbed the back of his head as he did so.

"We both did!" an exuberant Danielle grinned at his side, gripping onto her back pack with both arms. Steven chuckled in agreement. The receptionist only smiled as she ran the Trainer Card through a blinking device and as before, Steven's details came up shining on screen the huge television above them all. Steven smiled as he rose up his head to admire his own achievements.

Pretty soon he could put the Droika Cup on that thing.

A grin slowly snaked on his face as he thought of that.

Yeah!

"Excellent!" the receptionist smiled as she removed the card and handed it back to him. He smiled in return and placed it back in his wallet, sticking his wallet back in his back jeans' pocket. "Your battle today will take place in The Mosh Pit at 1:00 o'clock today; be sure you are ready," she smiled as she bowed respectfully. Steven blinked.

"The Mosh Pit?" he asked and she shook her head in a light chuckle.

"All the information you need is in the booklet I issued you,"

"Ah," he simply frowned out.

"You'll be in Rotation 'A' and-"

Steven blinked as he interrupted the young woman. "Rotation?" he parroted and she smiled once more as she nodded and began to explain.

"This year's Tournament is so large that we have had to divide every challenger up into what we call as Rotations; fifty thousand plus challengers have been accepted into our Cup,"

"Fifty thousand?!" Danielle spluttered out, eyes widened and taken aback. The receptionist, cool as a cucumber, smiled and nodded.

"That is correct," she answered.

"Um…" Steven began as he frowned. "S-So who's gonna be _my_ opponent?" he asked and the young woman turned before smiling and pressing a few keys on her keyboard. Sure enough on screen above him were two pictures; one of his grinning face on the left covered in a fierce red background and on the right was an older though youngish man looking in around his early to late twenties. A wavy blue background covered his simple smiling photo; skin smooth like a woman's and his hair long, wavy and blue. In between of the two was a fiery sign covered in red, shaking entitled; _'VS'_.

"His name is Abel Abdullah; he has already checked in." the young woman explained and Steven nodded in a thoughtful frown as he examined the man's confident picture.

He began to lose a little of his confidence just _looking_ at him.

"My turn!" Danielle grinned as she bolted forward and stabbed her Trainer Card at the surprised young receptionist. She smiled in a hearty chuckle before sliding it on through, thus losing the pictures onscreen however the pure, unshaken confidence on that man's face…

It stayed with him.

As the receptionist and Danielle mixed words, the young woman keyed in some more words in her keyboard and sure enough as before a picture of her own grinning face appeared onscreen, hers on the left also. Her background was a striking black and like his fiery. Her opponent was another woman with a smirk on like Steven's own opponent; her hair long and pink. It came down and ended at her back and as it did, it grew smaller in width as it did so, her fringe hidden beneath a tight cap.

"Your opponent is Victoria McConnell and she has already checked in. You are in Rotation B, your battle time will be 1:00 o'clock and the Stadium shall be the Ice Barren." the receptionist briefly explained as she handed back Danielle her Trainer Card, smiling as she did so. "Trainers, may you be favourable in victory!" she smiled out. Danielle grinned and gave her a thumbs up whereas the pondering Steven winced before smiling nervously and nodding.

"Thanks!" Danielle grinned before turning and running out the large building, Steven in tow. "I can't _wait!_" she exclaimed in her grin as she leapt on out the electrical opening doors. A smiling Misty waited for them out the side, leaning against the wall. The red head smiled as she turned her head to meet the two.

"So… get your times and stuff?" she asked outright and Steven smiled weakly as he began to explain however his ever rambunctious companion interrupted him.

"Yup! We're both at 1:00 today!" the young woman grinned as she brought the blinking boy in through an embrace. She chuckled.

"Sounds good." the red head smiled as she joined her hands behind her body. "Who are your opponents?"

Danielle broke off the embrace and grinned as she waved her arms in the air, as if to ward off the challenge. "Ahh some girl; I'll kick her ass and move on," she grinned on confidently. Misty laughed in a light grin of her own.

"Sounds about right." she began before moving her eyes over to the frowning Steven. "How about you Steve?"

"Oh uh…" he began as he searched his short term memory banks for the name of his opponent. "Some guy… uh… Adull or something…"

Misty's face fell as she heard the name. "Is it… Abdullah?"

Danielle grinned as she clicked her fingers forward. "Yeah I think that's it!"

Misty's previous smile was lost and she turned her eyes away from the wondering Steven's. He turned his head curiously. "What?" he asked her.

"I'd… better give you guys some privacy!" Danielle grinned as she weaved her way slowly past the blinking Steven.

"No wait I-" the red capped boy began as he reached for her however she turned and ran off, grinning over her shoulder as she did so.

"Give it your all!" she called back and he blinked.

What was going on?

He turned his head slowly to meet Misty's and frowned. "What's going on?" he asked outright and the ex-Gym Leader turned her head up to frown back at him.

She looked so _serious_.

Finally however she spoke and alleviated his fears.

For the time being.

"The Abdullah family are a famous clan of prestigious Battlers native to the Hoenn region far to the south-west of Kanto and Johto." Misty began as she frowned and walked on towards the boy and in close proximity she began to play with his red and white jacket, fixing the collar. "No one will blame you if you forfeit Steve… just remember that,"

"B-But Misty-" he stammered on out after her however she shushed him with a raise of her slender finger to his lips, enticing a blink from him in response.

"Sh." she began softly. "Please tell me it isn't Abel." she continued in a hard frown though softly voiced. Steven winced as he lowered his crimson eyes away from hers. "It is, isn't it." she stated simply, as if it were already a fact. The boy nodded weakly. "He's already won Competitions before; he's no Champion in title but he's at their level in terms of Battling Ability." she began softly, the murmurings of the other Trainers and battle goers lost to him, his eyes focusing on hers. She leaned in to whisper in his ear and he flinched as she did so. "It doesn't matter to me if you win or lose." she began and pulled back but not before giving the startled boy a kiss on his cheek, smiling as she watched his shocked red eyes. "Please remember that," she finished and flattening his inside white collars, she turned and waved him off, presumably to head back to the cabin. Steven gulped as he watched her walk off, the tension built up in his body.

Between worrying about things with Misty, Ross, Giovanni he now had _this_ on his plate; his first major league battle was with possibly one of the strongest battlers in the _world_.

Even _Misty_ didn't seem to faith in him this time.

"Oh man…" he murmured under his breath as he gripped the sides of his head, cringing as he lowered his head to the ground.

He appreciated her words at the end of her sentence… but…

All of a sudden he didn't feel so good about battling.

He sighed and though shakily he nodded and resigned himself. "I will." he whispered out both in response to Misty _and_ Danielle.

He _had_ to give his all if only to show Ross everything he talked about back in Oak's Laboratory.

The narrow eyed, red capped boy walked on back to his cabin to prepare…

_**2**_

Ross frowned in a bored looking expression as he walked on down the long infested street of performers, stalls and the general public, his arms in his pockets and Elaine hanging on his arm, talking about who knows what as she always did.

He'd learned to finally just tune her out; it worked out well for him, especially to have a young woman gush over his victories and general skill.

"Tch." he muttered under his breath as he stalked on down the street, watching in between alleys. Children battled each other with small Pokémon such as Rattata, Nidoran and Pidgey.

It was laughable.

And at the _Indigo Plateau _no less.

How dare they; it was an affront to him as a National Battler.

In all his anger at the general public and in the midst of his signing up and passing, he wondered how his self-proclaimed rival was faring after his blow up at the initial test proctor. He snorted as he thought of the rambunctious red eyed Battler.

"Little fool." he muttered under his breath as he narrowed his green eyes forward. No doubt he hated the red eyed Battler but he could never fully discover why he had this pang in his body when the idiot raised his hand in the initial test to seemingly give up.

It had left after he slammed it down on the desk but that's not really the point.

So what could it be?

Ross' high intelligence should have been able to find it out in nothing flat but time and time again as he thought about it – which seemed to be more and more frequent – he couldn't seem to discover why.

He chewed on the inside of his lip as he scowled lightly forward in deep thought, a mixed sense of anger at the grinning, red capped boy and himself.

"What's up?" Elaine's voice interrupted and the scowling Ross blinked in a wondering frown as he turned his head over to the young woman hanging on his arm.

"Uh?" he grunted back in a wondering blink.

"Have you even _listened_ to what I said?" the electric blue haired Trainer shot back in a miffed pout, throwing her arms to her hips. Ross frowned uncaringly as he shook his head.

"My mind was elsewhere." he replied simply. Elaine's face twitched in her own scowl but just as quickly she left it and reattached herself to his arm, continuing on in her long winded speeches. Ross rolled his green eyes as she did so.

"Excuse me!" a voice suddenly interrupted. The brown haired Battler snapped his head 'round and found a grinning young girl, perhaps around his age pulling at his purple top. She stopped when he glared at her but did not lose her grin. "Are you him? Are you Professor Oak's grandson?"

Ross narrowed his green eyes superiorly down at the young Lass and scowled. "What of it?"

The girl flinched but quickly regained her confident grin. "I'd like to challenge you!" she exclaimed. Elaine looked down her nose at the young girl as she watched her.

"Destroy her," she scowled as she leaned in to whisper. Ross' narrow eyed scowl was all that was needed.

"I intend to." he shot back in his own whisper. "Come; we'll do battle in one of these alleys. Not enough space here," he frowned out as he shut his eyes and walked over to one of the alleys, arms in his pockets coolly.

"All _right!_" the girl grinned out before she shot on forward like an exuberant bullet shot from a handgun into the alleyway. Ross gained a slow and ominous grin on his face; upturning only the left side of his face.

He would show her what being a Battler means.

* * *

As she sent out her scowling Raticate, the similarly scowling Ross quickly assessed whatever threat there may be and went for his belt. Sending out his narrow eyed Alakazam, he issued out a folded armed glare as he stood, waiting.

"Wow an Alakazam! So the rumours _are_ true!" the young Lass wowed on over as she watched, eyes widened. She gained another grinned as she continued. "Wait! But Alakazam's defences are low aren't they?" she blinked out in wonder.

"Exactly." Ross shot back over as he narrowed his eyes in a scowl. "That's how sure I am of your defeat," he added on with his dangerous scowl, his interrogating green eyes shooting into the blinking young Lass. She frowned on back before she tried to regain her simple smile back.

"W-What are you talking about? We haven't even start-"

"Keep your eyes on the _battle_ you fool!" he interrupted in an angry faced scowl. "Psylock; Reflect!" he exclaimed and as he did, the Psi Pokémon raised up its double spoons to build up a reflective wall of light.

"Ah!" the Lass gasped in surprise before she attempted to reassert herself and in narrowed eyes she pushed a finger forward. "R-Raticate! Go for a Hyper Fang!" she ordered. The Raticate growled out once before it shot on forward, eyes narrowed at its target. Ross allowed his opponent's Pokémon to move and scowled on forward as he folded his arms in a superior expression.

"Fool." he muttered out and the Lass' watching frown twitched a little as he spoke. As she watched, her Raticate snapped its fangs into the similarly scowling Alakazam but it didn't scream out in pain as she expected.

"What?!" she exclaimed and Ross gave a disappointed tut as he watched.

"Psylock! Confusion!" he exclaimed out in order.

"But that's a low levelled-" the poor Lass began in her own exclamation, eyes widened as she did so however before she could finish, her similarly shocked Raticate was lifted into the air. Enveloped in an indigo light, the Raticate grunted in pain as it endured pain from the seemingly undeniably painful attack. The Alakazam finally finished its counter attack however and pushed forward one of its spoon holding hands, thus shooting forth back the Raticate back where it came from. It grunted and wheezed out as it rolled back, eyes shut before finally coming to a stop on its side, fainted. "Raticate!" the Lass screamed out suddenly as she knelt down to coddle the fallen Normal Type.

"Yes." Ross' deep voice began, interrupting her sorrow for just a moment. She gasped and turned her tear stricken face around to watch the scowling Ross above and ahead from her. "That _was_ a low levelled attack." he answered for her and she gasped in surprise. His green eyes narrowed even further as he continued. "But it's all I needed to defeat _you_," he finished harshly and she blinked in her tears.

"B-But I-"

"You're just a _child;_ you shouldn't be here. Get out of here before my Alakazam decides to attack _you_ for being such a weakling." he shot on out in an angry hiss. She winced and with a teary face, recalled her fallen Raticate into its Poké Ball before turning and running further into the alley, her tears trailing her run.

"You're so strong," Elaine purred as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The narrow eyed purple topped Battler grunted as he knocked her arms off him, walking on forward to recall his Alakazam.

"Not strong enough." he scowled on out as he watched the crying Lass run off. "I should have been able to finish that battle quicker,"

"What's there to _worry_ about?" Elaine grinned as she rolled her eyes and walked over to join him, arms behind her as she did so. "You honestly _can't_ be worrying about the competition,"

"There have got to be _some_ good Battlers in amongst that rabble." the green eyed Battler scowled on out as he watched the beaten Lass run around a corner and into the main street, her tears trailing her run. "I still can't… believe…" he began as he grit his teeth tightly and muttered out as he scowled horribly. Elaine blinked.

"What's-"

"My grandfather." he spoke on out through gritted teeth as he scowled hatefully. "He…"

"So he mentioned people should go all out against you; what's the problem?" Elaine grinned as she turned her blue haired head in light confusion.

"Steven…" the Pallet bound boy growled hatefully as he thought of the infuriating red capped boy. "My grandfather _mentioned_ him…"

"Oh." Elaine blinked back in wonder. "Well… maybe that means… he recognises him as a thre-"

"He is _not_ a _threat!_" Ross screamed back vehemently as he turned his angry scowl on the wide eyed Elaine.

"Hey, whoa okay, okay!" the blue haired girl cringed as she leaned back away from the grit toothed boy. "He's not a threat!"

"Damn right he isn't…" the brown haired Battler scowled more quietly as he turned his head slowly back to its neutral position, folding his arms as he did so. "He's an embarrassment to his family name _and_ the Pallet name,"

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning her head in surprise.

"Steven's father… and my father…" he began, calmly this time as he frowned. "Were rivals,"

"Really?!" she gasped in widened eyes. "But… aren't _you_ two rivals? You and Steven?"

"We would be… if he were any good." the boy shot back as he turned his silently furious green eyes over to her. "John Murray was one of the best Battlers of his time; a true Battler and even almost became World Champion,"

Elaine widened her crystal eyes at the claim. "But… Steven's his-"

"His son; I know." the purple topped boy interrupted impatiently, his green eyes narrowed at nothing in particular. "My father, Peter Oak, was undoubtedly the stronger of the two but John… he was one of the best; truly worthy of recognition,"

"So…"

"But his son…" the boy began again as he ground his teeth together in narrow eyed hatred. "Isn't even worth _battling!_" he finished in an angry scream as he punched the wall in pent up frustration, eliciting the watching Elaine to flinch in a cringe.

"I whole heartedly agree,"

The crystal eyed Johto girl and the Pallet bound boy both gasped simultaneously, swerving their heads around at their right to find a smiling young man sauntering in the alleyway they previously walked in through. He wore a silk pink top cut off with a frilly design at the front as if to show off his slim physique, a long yellow scarf wrapped snugly around his neck. He also wore knee long yellow shorts that seemed to suit toward warm weather.

He clearly wasn't from around Kanto or even Johto; this was an international Battler.

"Hmph." Ross grunted in his throat as he turned his head down to scowl in narrowed, interrogating eyes at the folded armed young man. He looked to be around in his early to mid-twenties. "What's it to you?"

"Well… I'll be facing him today at 1:00pm… so quite a bit I daresay." the man chuckled in a fairy like tone, his voice like a woman's. Ross' scowl twitched as he watched him, listening. "You sound as if you know him; Steven Murray isn't it?" he spoke with a strange accent; one Ross couldn't seem to place.

"Mm," the green eyed boy murmured out as he glared forward.

"So… what can you tell me about him?" the foreign young man smiled as he ran a hand across his tanned skin, grinning as he did so. Ross raised a brown eyebrow into the air as he watched him curiously. "It'd be nice to know my new friend of course you understand,"

"Go screw yourself,"

The man blinked. "Excuse me?"

Ross' scowl lightened a little as he glared back. "I said go screw yourself,"

"I had heard that some of your people in Kanto were… racist towards my people but I had _no_ idea that it was this deeply rooted," the eccentrically dressed young man frowned on disapprovingly as he folded his dainty arms, turning his nose up at the young boy.

"You're chalking this down to racism?" Ross asked outright as he raised another curious eyebrow.

"Well… of course. You will not tell me what I wish to know therefore-"

"Therefore you're an idiot." Ross interrupted in his glaring, interrogative frown. The foreign young man blinked as he stopped mid-sentence. "Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova… I don't care _where_ you come from; when you try to ask about your opponent's team before a major league battle… you're _scum_ in my eyes," the narrow eyed boy spat back out as he watched the face fallen young man.

"I asked _no_ such thing! How could you-"

"You were about to," Ross suddenly accused, interrupting in a narrow eyed scowl as he did so.

"Ah! Just a misunderstanding!" the man smiled warmly as he shrugged his arms into the air before walking on forward. Ross tensed up as he glared up at the young man. He lowered his hand to be shaken and smiled on down at the young boy. "Apologies for not introducing myself; my name is Abel Abdullah of the prestigious Abdullah clan of Hoenn,"

Ross glared at the arm as if it were diseased and scowled on back up at the man. "Prestigious huh? Might want to start behaving like a decent Battler; is that how your family wins battles? Little bit of reconnaissance here and there?" he spat out venomously. The young man blinked in wonder.

"I do not know what you are-"

"Yes you do." Ross suddenly accused in a narrow eyed glare. "Stop pretending; you wanted information on your opponent's team so you could form a strategy and destroy him,"

"All right I confess." the foreign young man sighed as he rolled his eyes and raised his body up to fold his arms, smiling lightly and warmly. "Is that really so wrong? There are no rules against it,"

Ross' scowl twitched. "There should be,"

"But there isn't!" the Hoenn bound Battler smiled as he raised an informative finger into the air before lowering it once more. "Now… it is plain to see even from an outsider such as I that you dislike this Steven with great… intensity." he began in a narrow eyed chuckle. Ross growled. "Come on…" he started in his light grin as he leaned one of his hands forward "What would it matter if you told me his team? Even just three, two or just one? I'll make it worth your while,"

Ross grunted as he slapped away the wide eyed man's hand, thus surprising him. "You make me _sick_." the boy growled back out. "How _dare_ you ask me that question,"

"You _hate_ him don't you?" the man tried again as he put on a narrow eyed frown this time. "So _tell_ me and he'll be eliminated all the quicker!"

The Pallet bound boy shot his arms down to his belt for his Poké Balls and growled back dangerously. "Yeah I hate him; pretty bad too." the boy began as he scowled and the man's face lit up, as if he'd already gotten his request. "But I have something that makes me a better person than _you;_ ethics." he scowled on over as his grip on his Poké Balls grew tighter with each passing word from his mouth. "If Steven Murray is going to be eliminated…" Ross began as he scowled and raised his body up, turning his body and head sideways as he glared angrily. "Then I'll be the one to eliminate him,"

The man sighed in a frustrated frown as he shrugged his shoulders up and turned his body around. "Very well; I'll work with what I have but I'm disappointed Ross Oak. I expected much more of you." he lamented and the boy's scowl twitched lightly. "I suppose I'll have to teach you that in the Stadium hm?" he chuckled and rose up his arm to wave him off. "Au Revoir!" he called and disappeared out into the bustling streets once more.

"Why didn't you just _tell_ him?" Elaine frowned out as she walked beside the glaring boy.

"Are you serious?" Ross shot back as he turned his glare on the wincing young girl.

"Well… yeah,"

"Tch!" he growled out in his mouth before shrugging her off and walking forward out the alley. "Weaklings… all of you." he muttered out as he walked, his arms in his pockets once more. _"Steven…" _he began in his mind as he turned to watch the ever smiling frilly dressed foreigner walk through the streets, presumably for his battle. _"Destroy him."_

_**3**_

"And what a b-e-a-utiful afternoon that the fates have given us today in the Indigo Plateau! I'm your host Theodore Kent; former Battler and world class commentator and you're listening to the Pokémon Battle Association!" a deep man's voice echoed out in the microphone as the audience ahead of him screamed their cheers for him and the stadium.

"Yo guys what's up?! I'm his partner in crime; DJ Pep and we'll be covering the awe inspiring _baaaaaaattleeeees!_ Let's make some _noise!_" a grinning young man finished out in a scream as he leapt up on the table the two sat at outside for the good weather. The audience cheered in double the intensity as his rolling eyed and older companion frowned disapprovingly as he yanked back the blinking commentator plummeting to his seat.

While Theodore wore a very formal shirt and tie outfit, Pep had opted to dress a lot more informally; shorts for the sunny weather, an open and light Hawaiian shirt that seemed to scream his easy going partying personality and finally to finish his look he wore black sunglasses over his face as he grinned on. The young man turned a frown on his commentating companion in a wondering shrug however; Theodore sighed and shook his head before smiling and speaking on through his microphone once more.

"For the first time since Sir Lancelot Droika gave up the title of Champion can we finally see some real competition this year and it certainly looks to be it! Over fifty thousand competitors from all over the globe; Kanto, Johto, Hoenn Sinnoh and Unova have all joined here today and all to decide the title of World Champion!" Theodore shouted out, his voice echoing on through as he smiled in his speech, the crowd screaming on with him.

"That's _right_ T.K. and that's not counting any of the _rest_ of the Seeds; they're all movin' to that top prize! Fifty _million_ Poké Dollars!" the young man screamed out exuberantly in a grin as he laid a foot on the commentator table he sat at, eliciting more screams from his watching audience. Theodore sighed as he pulled the young man back plonking down to his seat.

"There's certainly a lot on stake here today Pep and that's no mistake!" the veteran commentator smiled again as he began. "Now… let's begin to introduce our competitors today!" he smiled in a grin as he turned his head and free arm to gesture toward the opening under the audience booths. A young man sauntered on out in a confident grin, his long and wavy hair hiding his eyes from view. The audience cheered deafly for him. "Ladies and Gentleman I don't think I need an introduction for _this_ Battler, you know him, you love him… it's Abel Abdullah!"

The crowd screamed for him as expected, some even leaping from their seats to give him a round of applause.

Misty, Bill and Red weren't of the latter group.

Misty watched in narrowed, green eyes. "He seems… suspicious," the former Gym Leader muttered. Bill frowned in a wondering blink as he turned his head curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"His clan… something about them…"

"But…" Bill began as he frowned, opening his mouth to speak however as he did so, the audience's screams – mostly women he noted – drowned his voice out.

"Good afternoon to you all in Kanto; it's a pleasure to be here." Abel's voice echoed out calmly as he stopped at his large podium, his voice amplified via the microphone provided on the podium. He bowed respectfully and smiled as he raised his head, winking at the group of women screaming his name. "This one's for _you_." he whispered out and, if it was even possible, the women's squeals and screams grew even _louder_.

"How do you like _that_ folks?" Theodore's deep voice echoed out his microphone as he smiled back at the winking Abel. "Such a big star and so humble!"

The women screamed louder again. Misty groaned as she rolled her eyes and covered her ears, as if to block the noise out but it didn't seem to do much good. On the huge television screen to the stadium's north and Misty's eastern seating, a large stat sheet opened up to show off the first challenger.

His character picture was rooted in a shrugging grin, winking away at the watcher while he carried his six teamed Poké Balls around his lithe and slender fingers. On the screen's top left was a large font emboldened with his name; Abel Abdullah. Below that and towards the lower left was a small record of the man's wins, draws and losses. An intimidating amount of wins covered his scoreboard whereas his losses and draws totalled a grand number of zero.

"All the way from Dewford Town in Hoenn, Abel's already become one of the top finishing five of Hoenn's own Regional Tournament and now it looks as if he's set his sights on Kanto! We can surely expect a riveting battle as long as _he's_ involved!" Theodore smiled as he joined his fingers together in a grinning fist.

"Woo yeah T.! I get the willies just _waitin'_ for this one!" the grinning DJ Pep exclaimed in his microphone, eliciting the audience to join him in their deafening cheers.

"And now for his opponent; a relatively unknown challenger…" Theodore began as he slipped on a pair of glasses and frowned as he trawled his eyes through a piece of paper on the desk sitting on the side lines of the huge stadium. "From Pallet Town Kanto please give a warm welcome to Steven Murray!" the formally dressed commentator smiled as he gestured towards his left. Sure enough as the audience cheered a pittance in comparison to his opponent, the cringing Steven walked out of the dark hallway hidden under the audience stands and into the bright light of the stadium. He gulped as he walked, his confidence slowly shaking.

Misty, Bill and Red grinned as they leapt up from their seats to cheer on the cringing boy and as he vaguely heard their voices; he stopped moving and his head darted around as if looking for them. Finally his red orbed eyes hovered over and slowly settled on the grinning trio and he smiled wanly, giving a weak wave back before continuing on forward shambling. Misty lost her grin slowly as she watched him, sitting back down on her seat as she did so.

"What's wrong?! He's finally come out!" Bill turned in his exclaiming over the deafening crowd. Misty turned her frown up at the computer whiz before she pointed directly at him. Bill blinked before turning and watching him. He widened his eyes as he noticed it; the boy's lack of confidence. He cringed lightly himself as he joined his red headed companion.

On screen the stat sheet changed from the winking Abel to a grinning Steven, his font's name in fiery red letters. On the character picture, he stood in a confident grin, his right arm placed on his hip in a simple pose. His win, draw and loss record were blanked out as he had no data for it to be input anyway.

"A beginner fresh from the ICL's Initial Testing and from the same town as our legendary Professor Oak! Let's hope he can give us a good battle!" Theodore began out as he smiled outright, the audience cheering in agreement along with him.

"You _damn_ right T.K.!" the ever grinning DJ Pep exclaimed next to the contrasting man.

Steven's body failed to stop trembling, even when he wanted it to; the poor boy attempted to settle his nerves time and time again but every time he tried it only got worse.

The audience might have had a hand in it too.

Not to mention those announcers.

'_Let's hope'._

He winced as his red eyes traversed down to the hard ground beneath him, his confidence crumbling once more.

Maybe he didn't have what it takes, maybe…

He gulped another load of saliva down his throat and felt incredibly dry.

"Challengers!" a voice interrupted and the red capped boy blinked as he shot up his head. A frowning man dressed in black shorts, a blue jumper top and trainers beckoned him over. He blinked but nodded and walked on over anyway as his opponent seemed to do the same. The man held a pair of flags; one red and one green. He must have been the referee. "Please make the obligatory handshake as Battlers in the ICL would," the man frowned out as he mixed his expression with the calmly smiling Abel and the nervously nodding Steven.

Steven shakily rose up his hand to be shook and cursed silently to himself as he attempted to force his body to stop trembling. The man ahead of him raised a wavy eyebrow and gained a small grin on his face as he watched him. However he finally rose up his own arm and instead of taking Steven's in his own, he surprised the red eyed boy by lightly pushing down his fingerless gloved hand, shut eyes in a smile as he did so. Steven blinked and the referee raised a suspicious eyebrow as he watched.

"I'm afraid I only shake my hand with opponents I deem worthy of me." Abel simply responded, directing his response over to the narrow eyed referee. Steven gasped in widened red eyes as he watched his opponent, the man not even acknowledging him. The referee narrowed his eyes before turning to face the duo of commentators and receiving a weak frown and shrug from them both he sighed and rose up both the flags to indicate the going ahead of the match. "Abel Abdullah and Steven Murray; the rules for today's Pokémon Battle are hence. You will battle with three Pokémon each in a Singles style. All Pokémon's levels shall be reverted to fifty and all items are allowed." the referee began and Steven frowned as he nodded. Abel smiled and shut his eyes as he waved one of his hands in the air, as if to ward it all away. "When I raise these flags one more time you will begin the battle; am I clear?"

"Of course," Abel yawned as he frowned.

"Y-Yes," Steven frowned as he nodded nervously. The referee nodded as his knowledge was imparted.

"Go to your podiums and await further instruction."

The audience cheered in pent up frustration, clearly wishing to see their wavy haired hero battle. Steven felt less than adequate as he watched the man smile and toss his long hair back as he about turned and made his way back to his side's podium.

He didn't even say hello.

No wonder, he thought; look at yourself, you're nothing compared to him.

He shook his head angrily and tried to remember what Misty said about confidence.

Confidence, confidence, confidence…

With those three words reverberating in his head, he turned and made his way up to the platform on his own side. As he stood on the concrete building his muscles tensed and he cringed as they did.

"Red side!" the referee began as he raised up his left arm and Steven's side of the stadium lit up. He flinched and winced. The audience screamed as they watched. "Green side!" the referee continued as he shot up the second flag, frowning as a green light enveloped the folded armed, shut eyed smiling Abel's side. "Begin!" he exclaimed in a final yell, bringing down his flags as he did so.

Steven reached for his first Pokémon.

_**4**_

"Let us start the show with _Swellow!_" Abel smiled widely as he opened up his two arms. Confetti followed as he let forth a dazzling show of his Flying Type Pokémon. The said Swellow grinned as confidently as its master as it shot out from the Poké Ball showing off its stunning wings to the yelling audience. Steven winced though vaulted first his Pokémon of choice; his screeching Aerodactyl flew out from its own Poké Ball and with a scowl on its prehistoric face, it flew up to meet the superiorly smirking Swellow, eyes glaring back.

"Lockjaw! Don't underestimate it!" Steven called on up to his Rock and Flying dual Type. It turned its eyes briefly to its master before glaring them back at the flapping Swellow.

"Now _there's_ a surprise!" Theodore exclaimed from his seat in widened eyes as he spoke into his microphone. "Two of the most exotic Pokémon anyone will ever see _anywhere_ folks! Truly a sight to see!"

"I'm amazed!" Pep exclaimed in agreement. Theodore turned an irritated frown on the young man seated next to him.

"What's _wrong_ boy?" Abel's accented voice reached on over the battlefield, his arms folded and his body held at a side. "Why don't you attack me?"

Steven glared on wordlessly back, his red eyes narrowed suspiciously as his Aerodactyl and its enemy Swellow circled each other dangerously in the air.

"Ha, ha, ha! The poor boy's _frightened_ of me! Can't blame him really." the Hoenn bound Battler smirked as he shut his eyes and shrugged once more, his voice taking a lower tone as he finished. "Oh well! Swellow! Begin things with an endearing Double Team!" he began as he thrust a finger forward. Sure enough, his circling Swellow grinned as it began to make illusionary copies of itself and Steven's Aerodactyl darted its eyes around itself as it watched.

"Rgh! Rock Slide!" Steven exclaimed out suddenly in panic as he stamped a foot in frustration.

"No Steve don't!" Misty yelled forward as she leant on the railing ahead of her. It was too late however; his Aerodactyl listened and followed through with its order. With its eyes narrowed, the Rock and Flying dual Type sent forth rocks of its own creation toward one of the copies of the ever grinning Swellow. Sure enough it hit _only_ a copy and the rest still flew, laughing back at the growling Aerodactyl.

"No!" Steven exclaimed in widened red eyes.

"Oh yes!" Abel laughed along with his Pokémon as he thrust another dainty finger into the air, turning his body up on its tip toes as he did so, as if dancing. "Now Swellow; give that prehistoric pedlar a taste of your _Steel Wing!_" he exclaimed and the audience cheered along with him. Steven gasped in widened eyes once more.

"S-Steel Wing?" he whispered out in a parroting frown.

What move was _that?_

"Steve you gotta move Aerodactyl _now!_" Misty shouted over the crowd as she leaned over the railing and as the blinking eyed boy turned his head frown back at her it was alas too late; the ever quick Swellow shot on forward and with its once deep blue wings turning to a dazzling silver, it crashed into the screeching Aerodactyl, sending it tumbling away in the air as it passed, grinning as confidently as always.

"Excellently done Swellow!" the said Pokémon's master smiled as he blew a kiss over to the flying creature. It stopped to grin back before turning its attention at its recovering enemy.

"Lockjaw!" Steven called out.

"Ooh now _that's _a painful one on poor Aerodactyl! A Supereffective hit by the ever quick Swellow!" the watching Theodore cringed.

"Ouch Town; population you bro!" his commentating companion exclaimed out as he pointed forth in his own cringe, directing his comment both to the weakened Steven and his Aerodactyl.

"Tch!" Steven gasped out in a narrow eyed grunt as he scowled lightly, panic growing. What was his next move? His next move… his next move…

"Well… if _you_ won't attack…" the dainty, tall man began in a sing song tone before dancing around on his podium, grinning away as he did so. "Steel Wing!"

"N-No!" the red capped boy yelled out suddenly and took a wary step back as he watched the Swellow glow a shiny silver and on instinct he yelled out the first order that came to mind. "_Double Edge!_"

His Aerodactyl gladly took its belated turn and with a narrow eyed scowl on its face it screeched in a rending battle cry as it shot its body into the wide eyed Swellow's, halting and cancelling out its ordered attack. The watching Abel gasped as he halted his _own_ little dance to watch and sure enough, tired and spent, Steven's Aerodactyl gasped similarly as it rolled in the air before crashing harshly to the ground, tumbling away in a screeching faint. His Swellow dropped in a bruised, battered and pained cringe, also crashing to the ground.

The watching audience grew tensely silent for a moment as they watched the two combatants meet each other in the air before finally they all screamed their approval of an adequate first taster. The large television screen behind the watching Abel showed off a three light chunk counter, both losing red and green lights to count their remaining Pokémon.

"Now _that_ I'll admit I did not see coming!" Theodore exclaimed out of his microphone, smiling always. "With another Steel Wing of Abel's silver quick Swellow cancelled out by Steven's Aerodactyl's Double Edge attack it was simply too much for the Aerodactyl and the Swellow to handle and so they both fainted simultaneously! _There's_ a play you don't see every day!"

"You got _that_ right T.K.! I've never _been_ more pumped up!" the grinning Pep shot in with through his own microphone.

"How…" Abel murmured out as he watched, eyes darting down to his fallen Swellow, then his enemy's Aerodactyl and then his trembling enemy himself, suspicious. "I never even got to use my _Guts_ strategy either…" the man muttered in an angry glare before he rose up his Poké Ball to recall his Swellow. Steven trembled as he breathed heavily, recalling his fallen Aerodactyl.

"Sorry." he apologised only as he winced down at the red and white sphere. He had already managed to accomplish much more than he previously expected; by now he would have figured he'd be on the next road home to Pallet.

He had to lose this fear… had to remember what Misty told him…

"Steve!" a voice called; hers funnily enough. He gasped as he turned his head around to his left to find a leaning Misty once again, Bill watching in a cringe as she leant over closer and closer, as if worrying she'd fall. "Don't let him psyche you! You can do this; I know you can!" she called however as she did, the women around her sides began to glare silently down at her.

Fans of Abel maybe?

He smiled, though wanly as before and turned back his head to watching his enemy ahead of him.

Just two more Pokémon… but which ones?

This battle could be decided before it's even begun.

"Hmph." Abel grinned as he shut his eyes and folded his arms in a superior smirk, lowering his head lightly as he did so. "The kid's had some beginner's luck… but now…" he began as he raised his left arm, two compacted Poké Balls hiding inside the gaps between his fingers. He opened his eyes as he shut his left hand and opened it back up to reveal an enlarged single Poké Ball. "His luck's run out! Show him, Gardevoir!" the man finished out in another grin as he threw forth his Poké Ball forward into the air, confetti following it as before.

It opened up into a bright light first before it morphed into a slender creature's form. Steven blinked as he watched it, unable to recognise it.

"And as Abdullah starts things off once again with his legendary Psychic Pokémon Gardevoir, we watch on to see what his _opponent's_ Pokémon will be!" Theodore smiled as he turned his head over to the blinking Steven.

Psychic… Psychic…

He lowered his hand off of Ragnarock's Poké Ball and edged it closer to the one next to it. Gripping it tightly he ripped it off and with it enlarged, he grunted as he vaulted it forward to meet his opponent's. Just as before, a bright light exited the sphere before it formed into a huge and lumbering creature, slumbering away obliviously.

"Pallet Town Steven responds with a _Snorlax!_ How will this affect the outcome?" Theodore's amplified voice echoed.

"Snorlax _does_ sleep a lot T.K.!" the ever grinning DJ Pep shot out with on his microphone in reply. Theodore sighed as he sunk his face into his palm, obviously frustrated.

"You think you can beat me with _that_ sorry lump of fat?" Abel laughed on over as he grinned in folded arms. His fans behind him watching on the stands laughed derisively on with him, eliciting the narrow eyed Steven to grunt lightly as he frowned hard, his eyes twitching in growing panic. Abel sighed as he shrugged. "I suppose I must teach you yet again… Gardevoir!" he began in a grin as he placed a dainty hand on his hip. "Dazzle him with one of your Psychic attacks!" the man grinned as he gestured forth his order with a double raise of his arms, waving them up as if they were forming a rainbow.

"Caesar! Stay put!" the boy exclaimed forward. Sure enough, his sleeping Snorlax did what it did best; lying away to sleep.

"Hmph! You'll regret your amateur inaction!" his Hoenn bound opponent grinned as he watched. "Full power Gardevoir! Use your Psychic Gem!" he shot on forward. Sure enough his feminine like Pokémon's eyes lit up dangerously and as it waved its arms forward, an invisible force struck the now wide eyed Snorlax, making it flail its small arms and legs around itself in seeming pain.

"Caesar!" Steven called out in a watching cringe.

"The Gems!" Bill gasped aloud as he watched in a scowling cringe of his own.

"W-What are you talking about?" Misty stammered as she spun her red haired head around to frown in blinked eyes at the researcher. He turned his own eyes to meet hers.

"We haven't been able to manufacture them in Kanto yet but there are special gems that Pokémon can hold and based off of whatever Type they are, they can increase a move's power by fifty percent. It's really quite extraordinary," he explained briefly in a narrow eyed scowl.

"Fifty…" Misty gasped in widened eyes.

"Steven's Snorlax is being put through the ringer already; if he doesn't know what he's doing he's already lost." Bill added as he narrowed his eyes forward. Misty blinked before turning around herself and for once she had to admit it.

_She_ would have lost this battle.

Any advice now… she couldn't give; the rest was up to him.

Abel laughed, standing up straight as he joined his arm up to his mouth daintily. "Your Snorlax can barely handle _one_ of my Gardevoir's attacks let alone the rest! Why not give up?" he called on over as he grinned. Steven shot back an angry scowl and spoke not, still trembling however. "Some children must be taught lessons the hard way." the young man sighed melodramatically as he ran an arm across his forehead overdramatically, grinning as he did so. He opened up his eyes however to find that his enemy's Snorlax had not fainted and instead grinned on up at the man, raising its long nailed arms as it did so. He gasped in shock. "That… defence…!"

"What a shock!" Theodore's voice began in exclamation. "Even with Gardevoir's impressive Psychic power, boosted by a Gem no less, Snorlax is _still_ standing strong!"

"Now that's a _strong_ ass Snorlax!" DJ Pep grinned in.

Steven screamed his next order as he leant on the railing forward of his podium, eyes widened as he did so. "Now! _Crunch!_"

His Snorlax grinned as it used its legs to lazily pull in its shock eyed opponent and raising itself with surprising limber, it pulled the gasping Gardevoir in before chomping on it with dark energy enveloped fangs.

"Ooh and it's Supereffective!" Theodore's voice echoed out as he cringed on forward. "A Snorlax's best traits are its massive HP and Attack statistics! Gardevoir's in trouble now!"

"Oop wait, hold that thought T.K.!" the narrow eyed Pep shot out with as he stood on the table once more with one foot, raising the microphone to his mouth as he did so. "It looks like this'll be Gardevoir's last dance!"

Sure enough and true to the lively commentator's words the grunting Gardevoir was let out of the smiling Snorlax's teeth and with a final cry it fell daintily upon the ground, coughing up dust as it did so. Abel watched with wide eyed shock, unable to believe it, it would seem. "But that's…" he began in a slowly and angrily turn of his facial expression.

Steven gasped out in red eyed surprise as he watched and the audience on his right side burst into cheer while the left booed.

It was a strange mix.

"Way to go Steve!" Misty's call came from the left side of the booing court, grinning as she leant on the rail forward. The boy himself couldn't seem to believe his own small victory.

"And now at two to one in Pallet Town Steven's favour! Will our hero be able to _bounce_ back from this and dazzle us again?" the smiling Theodore exclaimed through the microphone. The left side of the stadium burst into cheer for their said 'hero' eliciting the cringing Misty, Bill and Red to cover their ears once again.

"The answer is yes and he _will_." Abel grinned once more as he recalled his fallen Pokémon before reaching for his third, flicking it up first small before he enlarged it in his hand as he caught it. "With my final play, I'll send you back to your village made of backwater hay! Go Whiscash!" he exclaimed in his grin as he sent forth his last Pokémon with all the drama as he had his previous two.

The light formed into another creature but one Steven again couldn't discern. He grunted in a narrow eyed frown as he examined it as closely as he could given his position.

It looked kind of like a catfish.

Maybe it was the Water Type?

"Hrm…" he murmured in his throat as he watched carefully.

He'd have to make a play now if he wanted his Snorlax to survi-

"Now Whiscash! Before he has the time to move!" the ever grinning Abel began as he thrust a finger forward. Steven gasped in a horrified expression. "Earthquake!"

_DROOM_

Steven yelled as he stumbled on his podium, gripping the rail forward for balance. Sure enough however below him, the frowning Whiscash created a huge crater of its creation and Steven's Snorlax had by now halted its flailing limbs and gave out its final, weak cry of fainting.

"No Caesar!" Steven yelled out in desperation as he leant over in a weakened cringe.

"How do you like _that_ folks? It's no surprise that he manages to turn it all around in his own favour and to equalise the score! That's our Abel Abdullah!" Theodore Kent exclaimed as he gestured forth for the crowd to cheer for him which of course they did.

Blaringly.

"No…" Steven murmured out weakly as he watched, cringing as before as he recalled his fallen Snorlax. His Pokémon were dropping like flies.

It was like facing Giovanni all over again.

Have to… have to make this count…

Water Style, Water Style…

"All right!" the boy began as he shot his head up and with a heavy breathing hard frown he grunted as he vaulted forth his next Poké Ball, quickly setting himself into his old battling stance that the old woman Brinca taught him. "Oblivion!" he exclaimed simply as he narrowed his red eyes forward.

"Yeah good choice!" Misty smiled widely as she watched.

Sure enough, the light formed into a similar stance and hard frowning Blastoise, eyes narrowed forward. Abel blinked on forward, breaking out into first a small chuckle but then a growing laugh.

"This is _laughable!_ I'm not waiting any longer to put you out of your misery!" the man grinned as he finished in a stand up straight smirk. He folded his arms as he ordered his next move. "Whiscash!"

"Oblivion! Interrupt him with _Surf!_"

The Blastoise used its powers to pull water up from the ground below it and riding the waves above, it narrowed its eyes down at the frowning Whiscash. The watching Abel turned his curious frown into a slow and light knowing grin, choosing to standby and do nothing. The Surf wave crashed against the Whiscash toughly and enveloped it in water.

"Yes!" Steven grinned as he pumped a fist forward.

"A crashing wave of water hits Whiscash hard! But can it pull back from the vicious attack?" Theodore's voice echoed out in the stadium.

Abel chuckled in his grin as he shut his eyes and spoke. "Whirlpool." he ordered.

Steven gasped in widened eyes as he watched the water he had his Blastoise use for itself be used _against_ him. The wide eyed Water Type below him was suddenly pulled into a maelstrom of tides and grunted as it was. The crater that Whiscash had previously created served as an adequate pool to be used for Blastoise's prison.

"No!" Misty exclaimed in widened eyes as she watched.

"Oblivion!" Steven yelled in wide eyed worry.

"Now…" Abel began in a growing grin. "Fissure!" he exclaimed. The audience gasped on as they listened to the man's order.

"Oh man!" Pep exclaimed as he craned his neck forward to watch.

Alarm bells rung in Steven's head and he continually gasped in growing fear as he watched large pillars burst out of the earth, narrowly missing his shut eyed and pained Blastoise, unable to move in the vortex of water.

Have to… have to call it back… switch…

He gasped as he raised his Poké Ball to recall back his Pokémon but as the crimson light shot on through towards to catch his Blastoise it was blocked by one of the narrowly missing Fissure walls that the hidden Whiscash raised up. Steven's heavy breathing and trembling grew once again as his red eyes darted across the moving Blastoise, shooting forth its Poké Ball's red light but every time he was met with failure. He shot his eyes up to find a grinning Abel watching him knowingly, arms folded.

He was toying with him!

"It seems that Murray can't recall his Blastoise! Every time he tries, he is met with failure by the raising fissures! What will he do now?!" Theodore exclaimed, his voice echoing.

"He certainly looks to be in a lot of trouble T.!" Pep grinned as he watched, laying back in his chair lazily.

"_What _will_ I do now?!"_ Steven thought to himself in widened eyes as he tried vainly to recall back his Pokémon.

"Steve! Stop!"

He gasped and turned his head around to find Misty once again leaning on the railing to shout over to him.

"There's a move Blastoise can use to get out of moves like Whirlpool! Try to remember!" she exclaimed over, hands over her mouth to amplify her voice. Steven blinked as he listened, turning his head as he did so in a narrow eyed frown.

A move…

He narrowed his eyes down at his Blastoise and tried to calm down as he attempted to remember.

Brinca… Route Nineteen… Surf… Rapid Sp-

His red eyes widened.

"Oblivion!" he yelled out in his narrowing eyes. "Rapid Spin!"

"Huh?" Abel blinked out as he watched. The Blastoise grunted as it turned its body, though slowly to begin with, around in a complete rotation. Soon enough the Whirlpool of Whiscash's creation began to turn in the opposite direction; Abel darted his head around in silent wonder as to his opponent's strategy. "What are you- No!" he finished out in a surprised gasp. Sure enough the water was gone and a hard frowning Blastoise stood, covered in water from its recovery.

"Hah!" Steven grinned out forward as he stood in his Blastoise's battle stance.

"Rgh!" Abel grunted out as he thrust a finger forward, losing his cool. "I'll wipe that grin off your _face!_ Hydro Pump!"

"Counter with Hydro Cannon!" Steven shot back as quickly as he could in a wide eyed scowl.

The revealed Whiscash gave vent to a loud groan as it sent forth a spiral of water beams at the similarly blasting Blastoise however Blastoise's water beams were much bigger in size and in seeming strength. As they clashed in a magnificent explosion of water, the audience, the commentators and Steven and Abel all tensed up, eyes narrowed in silent tension.

The clashing water beams finally gave off a final explosion and as it did, Steven and Abel both fell to their knees in grunts, raising up their arms to block the backlash of spray and wind caused by their attacks.

_**5**_

A tense couple of moments filled the air and as everyone recovered they all watched the misty floor beneath them for any sign of life.

Finally and soon as well it was shown but the referee spoke up first.

"Block A, Battle 1's winner is Steven Murray!" he yelled out and raised the red flag to go along with it. On the huge television screen, Steven's grinning face lit up with the words 'VICTORY' imprinted above. On his podium, Steven gasped in widened red eyes as he watched on downwards and sure enough he saw it.

His Blastoise, bruised and battered still stood as it knelt on one knee, one eye shut as it gasped out heavily in a frown. The opposing Whiscash on the other hand had fallen unconscious with crossed out eyes.

"I… I did it." Steven gasped out in his shocked expression. Tears slowly stung at his eyes as he watched. "_We _did it." he murmured out as he saw his Blastoise gasping away. "We did it!" he parroted out in a grinning scream as he turned to run down the steps of his podium, his tears falling freely.

"I… don't… believe it," Theodore began in a murmuring frown as he watched the scene in front of him.

"_WOOOOO!_" DJ Pep screamed out of his microphone as he leapt up on the table, head raised upward to the heavens as he screamed. The audience screamed after him, as if enticed.

"In all my years of reporting I thought I'd seen it all folks! But to witness a newcomer take on and _defeat_ a world class Battler is a new one in my books!" the well-dressed man grinned as he spoke. "Ladies and Gentleman! Give it up for Steven from Pallet Town!" he exclaimed finally as he gestured his free left arm forth towards the running, laughing and crying boy. The audience leapt from their seats to scream their cheers for him surprisingly enough, even as the laughing red capped boy leapt into his surprised Blastoise's arms and embraced it in a tight hug.

"We did it!" Steven parroted out again as he wrapped his arms around the neck of his gasping Blastoise. "We did it!" he cried out in his shaky hug. The blue coloured tortoise Pokémon slowly turned its puzzled frown into a smile as it returned the hug, shutting its eyes as it did so.

"Look at him." Misty smiled as she watched. Bill and Red both grinned as they followed her stare. "All that tension… all that worrying… and he won in the end,"

"He needed it." Bill smiled in and Misty nodded in agreement.

"Excuse me…"

Steven gasped as he turned his tear stricken face to find a young smiling woman with a microphone in her hands and a man holding a camera next to her. She lowered the microphone to his mouth and he blinked again.

"Steven Murray isn't it? Could you give me a few words in what your battle was like?" she asked in her amiable smile. Steven laughed again shakily as he raised his left arm up to wipe away his tears. He took the microphone from her and stood up, smiling weakly as he did so.

"Amazing." he gasped out. "I want to thank everyone in Pallet and my three friends for believing in me right to the end but most of all…" he began as he turned his red eyed smile on his fatigued though similarly expressed Blastoise. "I want to thank all my Pokémon; they made this possible," he finished out in a mixing smile with his Blastoise. It grinned back and issued him a confident thumbs up.

The woman plucked the microphone from his hands and smiled. "Thank you."

"It'll be interesting to see how he climbs up the ranks!" Theodore began in another of his many smiles. "A shocking upset from a newcomer from Pallet! Truly amazing!"

"I feel shocked!" the grinning Pep sighed as he fell back unto his seat in a lazy look. Theodore rolled his eyes however regained his smile as he spoke into the camera in front of him.

"Until next time viewers! This is Theodore Kent and DJ Pep at the ICL's Indigo Plateau! May you be ever favourable in victory!"

A/N: Epic double team is epic.


	31. Sensational Sashays In - Round Two!

**Chapter 31: Sensational Sashays In; Round Two!**

_ICL League Arc – The Droika Cup_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise.**

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Chapter Briefing._

_** "Encounter! Rival!" – Pokémon Red, Green and Blue OST. **Scene **1**._

_** "Stadium Select" –** **Pokémon Stadium OST. **Scene **2** (First Half)_

_** "Round After Round" –** **Beyblade OST. **Scene **2**. (Second Half)_

_** "I Did It!" – Pokémon Anime OST. **Scene **3**._

_Round one ends in victory!_

_Once incredibly nervous and constantly worried, now bolstered by his unlikely win against a world class Pokémon Battler, Steven carries this confidence into his next round…_

_Meanwhile a confident Ross takes on a single Lass in the Indigo Plateau's streets. Easily defeating her, he breaks her spirit and prevents her from competing in the Competition, perhaps to lower the chances of his own possible losses. As he delights in world class Battler, Abel Abdullah's unprecedented loss, he readies for his own battle in Block B…_

_**Scene 1**_

"Hello and welcome back to the PBA and ICL's Indigo Plateau Competition! You're listening to former Battler, now commentator Theodore Kent!" the veteran man smiled as he turned his head halfway into the camera as it stared back at him. The grinning young man next to him leaned over to his right in his lazy laid back state to fist bump the older man.

"T.K. yo! It's DJ Pep here watchin' over your battles!" the young man smirked as he chewed on a piece of gum and grinned on past his cool sunglasses as he pointed one of his fingers forward at the watching camera. He laid his legs lazily across the table in front of him as he raised his microphone to his mouth. "We were watching that Oak kid tear it up in the last half of today's match; I think if anyone has a chance at that cup it's gotta be him T.!"

"You could be right Pep; it could be_ anyone's_ match today." Theodore began in a light grin of his own before he continued. "However you're joining us again to continue our Battle in Block 'B'! From Unova's Nacrene City; Meredith McCauley VS. Pallet Town's Ross Oak and currently Ross is in the lead with three of his available Pokémon at the ready whereas Meredith is only at two,"

"Maybe she can turn it all around T.!" Pep grinned as he turned his head to the side. Theodore smiled and nodded.

"Let's hope Pep." he began before turning his head over. Sure enough there they were; a scowling Ross Oak standing with his arms folded atop the green podium, eyes narrowed as he watched his opponent mercilessly; the picture perfect of confident.

Meredith, a young woman of older age stood on the other side; the red with a pained look on her face. Her energy spent, she gasped continually for air as she held her ground on one knee, eyes narrowed forward looking twitch.

Ross' similar faced Arcanine stood proudly down below in the stadium, glaring at its opponent as it tested its paws on the ground now and then as if to pass the time. Meredith's Pokémon; a new one undiscovered in Kanto gasped similarly to its master. It was like a centipede of some kind, purple in colour with a black underbelly.

"How?!" Meredith exclaimed over as she gasped out and Ross scowled on back wordlessly, allowing her to continue. "How do you know so much about my Pokémon?!"

His scowl twitched a little before he answered slowly. "You fool,"

"Huh?!" she gasped out again as she turned to a curious and blinking frown.

"Only a _weakling_ does not research." he answered in his narrow eyed scowl. "Only with the true power of knowledge can a Trainer be great. You've just made one of the biggest mistakes of your life." he began before turning his slit eyes downward to his Pokémon. "Inferno! Extremespeed; get her now!"

"No!" Meredith exclaimed before she raised up her Poké Ball to recall the fatigued Pokémon however it was too late; her canine like enemy shot with amazing speed and by the time it reappeared it at her Scolipede's front and attacked, it had already reappeared back at its original starting point.

The Scolipede fainted.

"Score! One to Three!" the referee at the side exclaimed as he raised Ross' green flag in light victory.

"You can't hope to stop me." Ross' words echoed on over. Meredith's face twitched as she fell unto her hands and knees and gasped continually outward as she cringed. "Give up," his calm though firm voice echoed over once more.

She cringed as she watched her fallen Scolipede.

Finally however she rose up her Scolipede's Poké Ball and recalling it wordlessly, she raised up one more thing.

A white flag.

The referee took a few seconds to register it as the young woman's sign of forfeiting and with it; he turned and raised the green flag to his left. Ross' side lit up and he scowled on as it did, unchanging.

"Meredith McCauley has forfeited the match! This game's winner is Ross Oak!" the referee exclaimed. Confetti burst out and Ross, as before, scowled as he made his way slowly down the winding steps from his tall podium. He rose up his Arcanine's Poké Ball and shrugged off the referee's oncoming hand to raise his own up in victory.

"Get your hands of me." the brown haired Battler shot out with as he growled. The shorts and shirt dressed man sighed and shook his head before turning and walking off.

"And how do you like that?! Ross Oak showing off his amazing mind game skills! Not even having to finish off his battle, he forces his opponent to _give up_ and wins it with little to no effort!" Theodore grinned as he exclaimed over the deafening audience.

"Just what you'd expect from one of the Oak clan!" Pep grinned at the side and Theodore nodded in his own.

"Very true!"

"Mr. Oak…" a voice began and the young boy himself scowled as he spun around to face a smiling reporter for the ICL's television network. Elaine on his arm, now leapt down from the audience stands by now, laughed happily as she latched onto him. She appealed to him as much as she could in her smile and eased the microphone over to his twitching mouth. "Could you please have something to say, perhaps about your battle?" she almost pleaded. He looked thoughtful or a minute or two before he scowled and yanked the microphone off her, surprising her.

"Not about the battle; that was pathetic." he admitted before turning his eyes into the camera ahead of him. Elaine sniggered along with him as she turned her head to watch the Unovian Battler behind her cradling her Scolipede's Poké Ball on the stadium's grassy ground. Ross put on his worst scowl as he turned his intimidating green eyes into the lens of the reporter's assistant's camera, narrowed and angry. "Of all the Battlers in this competition I put it to you audience that there is one who should be disqualified for lack of skill,"

"And… which one would that be Mr. Oak?" the reporter smiled as patiently as she could, leaning in to speak through the microphone. Ross yanked it back and she twitched as he did so, a scowl threatening to appear on her face but she suppressed it.

"Steven Murray; either he will be disqualified or I will hold nothing back in our battle. If you can hear me and see me right now Steven…" the brown haired Battler began in a lowered tone of voice as he growled back, his scowl growing worse as he did so. "Then you take this as a warning; I will hold _nothing_ back. There will be nothing left of your Pokémon… or you." the narrow eyed boy spoke outward as he glared into the lens silently and dangerously.

Elaine laughed along next to him in hilarious agreement however he didn't even seem to acknowledge her.

"Do yourself a favour and give up; go back home to Pallet. You have nothing more to prove." the boy continued as he glared. The reporter widened her eyes lightly as she watched him in silence, mildly interested as Elaine grinned at his side into the camera. "You've been warned." he finished before stuffing the microphone back in the blinking reporter's hands. She looked disorientated for a moment and watched only as the scowling Ross about turned on his heel and walked off, eyes narrowed. Elaine hung onto his arm and agreed vehemently about his statements towards his red eyed rival as they walked, their voices drowned out by the screaming audience.

"Uhh…" the young woman began in a blink before she scrambled to recover, putting her microphone up the right way and turning to smile in the face of the camera. "And there you have it! Oak and Murray; a drama still yet to unfold!" she began as she smiled. "Until next time; this has been the Pokémon Battling Association Network; may you be favourable in victory!"

He bit his nails as he watched the television screen, watching Ross Oak saunter away with his grinning faced girlfriend at his side.

Steven was feeling the pressure just listening to Ross' words.

His arm at his right side twitched continually as he shook a fist in silent tension.

A knock at the door made him gasp; he turned his head around in his small chair after leaping up to shut off his television. A frowning Misty stood in the doorway, holding the door open as she blinked down at him curiously.

"What are you doing? We called you in for lunch ten minutes ago," she claimed and Steven laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his wild haired head.

"Sorry; got caught up studying," he admitted. She narrowed her aqua green eyes as she looked up to the shut off T.V. She looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head and smiling again.

"Well your lunch is out anyway; better get it before it gets cold," she smiled as she edged a thumb behind her.

Steven smiled back as he nodded. "Thanks Mist." he replied and she gave him another warm smile back before turning and heading back out, shutting the door behind her. Steven soon lost his smile before sighing and turning his attention back to the blank television screen ahead of him.

He stared at himself; his own reflection from the T.V. screen and chuckled outwardly as he smiled.

Screw Ross and his threats; he was just lashing out 'cause of his past and his parents.

"Yeah." the boy smiled out in a murmur as he raised himself, nodding to his own reflection. "Yeah." he repeated out, this time in a grin.

_**2**_

"Hello and welcome back to the ICL's Indigo Plateau World Tournament! You're joining PBA commentators; the ever tactful Theodore Kent-"

"And the uber cool DJ Pep!" the named man himself interrupted in a wide grin as he yelled through his microphone. The audience of course, screamed with him in agreement. Theodore at his left looked a little offended, perhaps at being interrupted, however he shrugged it off and continued on.

"You're all just joining us in Block A's Quarterfinals; from Pallet Town in Kanto please give a warm welcome to our new rising star, Steven Murray!" Theodore exclaimed as he introduced the grinning young boy himself. As he exited the challenger's hall, he grinned as he raised his arms up, his watching audience screaming their cheers for him.

Onscreen the huge television in the top centre of the stadium was a stat sheet of the Pallet bound boy himself. As before, his font was covered in a crimson fiery red and his character picture on the left side of the sheet was one of confidence; he stood in a confident grin, his body straight and his left hand joined at his hip while his right lay at his side limp.

On the right were the actual statistics;

_1 Win(s)_

_0 Losses_

_0 Draws_

"And here comes our newest Battler Steven!" Theodore began as he grinned over at the similarly grinning boy, admiring his growing fan base. "With a spectacular win last time, this newcomer from Pallet Town Kanto has already managed to garner quite the number of fans!"

"You're tellin' me T.K.! This guy's _already_ taken out one of the greatest bets of competition this Tournament had to ask for!" Pep yelled out in his microphone in agreement as he grinned.

"Right you are Pep and now for our second challenger today; Miss Sensational!" Theodore quickly introduced as he turned his gestured hand over to the north east challengers hall. A young woman walked out dressed in tight sky blue jeans that hugged her hips, a cut off fashion top of a bright red. She wore her long purple hair in braids, cascading down her back in three separate strides while her fringe parted in the middle, as if her very face were a stage to be shown off. Makeup was apparent on her face though only light.

Up onscreen of the huge television, the screen showed off a picture of her grinning and confident face in a sort of haughty expression. On the top was in pink and fashionable font with the name _'Miss Sensational'_. Steven blinked as he watched up.

"Well la-di-dah." the boy muttered out as he scrunched his face up in a light, pouting frown.

"I gotta tell ya T., if ever this girl goes up for governor she's got _my_ vote!" Pep grinned into his microphone as he leant lazily on his chair, his head held back.

"You and me both Pep; she's certainly a looker!" the man replied simply back as the young woman in question received screams of approval and wolf whistles. She grinned back and issued forth a small bundle of air kisses, bustling the crowd even more. She grinned again as she turned her look on the staring Steven before winking. The red capped boy folded his arms and swerved his head to the side in shut eyes, swatting her grin away.

"With over a few wins in her belt and easy wins no less, this girl's gonna be a _tough_ one to beat!" DJ Pep smirked out as the audience agreed in their rallying cry.

"Right you are Pep; now let's see how these two clash together!" Theodore replied in a knowing smile as he lowered the microphone to allow the contestants and referee time to speak. Steven narrowed his red eyes forward in a thoughtful frown, watching his enemy saunter on back, as if the oncoming match was nothing but a breeze.

He furrowed his brow; he'd have to change that.

"All right people let's shake hands; promise for a clean match," the chubby referee frowned out as he gestured towards the watching two. The woman _did_ raise her hand to be shaken but as she did, Steven noticed she conveniently let her eyes wander in her haughty smile. Steven raised his own hand to shake hers regardless. The referee clapped his hands softly and frowned on. "Great; please return to your podiums and you may send out your first Pokémon under my call. Understood?" he asked in his frown and the two nodded. "All right; let's go!" the man exclaimed and Steven turned on his heel, eyes glaring at the woman as he did so.

He was sick of people trying to put him down, even psychologically.

He'd make her regret not making eye contact with him.

"Green side; ready!" the referee began out, almost as a question. Miss Sensational nodded in a knowing smirk as she readied a slender finger on a Poké Ball in reach. "Red side; ready!" he began again, turning his head to his left and edging his left chunky arm to the side as he did so. The watching Steven nodded in a narrow eyed expression. "Battle!" he finished out as he chopped the air with his left arm into the middle of the grass arena.

* * *

"Hmph!" the young woman began as she spun around in place, throwing out her Poké Ball as she turned, eliciting the narrow eyed Steven to vault forth his own Poké Ball. As they both exploded in mid-air they gave off a fantastic light that made the watching audience cheer on in exuberance.

On Sensational's side was a haughty expressed, long grass snake like creature that watched on at its prehistoric enemy, a look befitting its owner. On Steven's side was his favourite Flying Type; his Rock Type Aerodactyl, eyes narrowed forward as it gave vent to a battle cry, showing off its rocky wings as it did so.

"And here we go! So Sensational starts off with her Grass Type Serperior and Steven with his Aerodactyl which is a lucky save for our new Pallet challenger!" Theodore began as he smiled into his microphone.

"Yeah, hey all you newbies out there!" DJ Pep began as he grinned into his own microphone, his sunglasses shining in the sunlight. "So Serperior is a Grass Type Pokémon and one from the far off region of Unova! It's pretty radical!"

"Right you are Pep and as we start things off here, the audience are on the edge of their seat!"

"Gorgeous, begin our trial with a coy coil!" the purple haired woman smiled on seductively as she turned her expression on the watching crowd. The male side screamed for her while the women rolled their eyes, some even glaring daggers. Her Serperior smirked before it coiled within itself, raising its statistics as it did so.

"And a great first move by Sensational's Serperior!" Theodore began as he smiled on. "Coil raises both physical Defence, Accuracy and Attack! She must be planning a safe attack and defence strategy!"

"You know it T.!"

"Lockjaw; finish her now with _Sky Attack!_" Steven exclaimed on as he pointed downward at the Serperior in question.

"Oh!" Miss Sensational gasped out as she thrust her attention back to the battle, a hand snapped up to her mouth in surprise.

"Oh snap!" Pep exclaimed as he watched, even taking off his sunglasses as he did so. The Aerodactyl in question began to glow a bright white before finally and suddenly it shot on forth like a bullet shot from a gun. With insane speed it shot into and past the screeching Serperior, sharply and severely sending it shut eyed down.

"Hah!" Steven exclaimed again as he grinned.

This time the female side of the audience cheered their approval, the male side hissing and booing. Onscreen the huge, high definition television Miss Sensational's three count Pokémon marker lowered by a single.

"A Supereffective Sky Attack; who'd have thought he'd have just ploughed on _through_ like that?!" Theodore yelled through his microphone above the din of the crowd.

"This kid's one to watch!" Pep smirked as he reattached his sunglasses to his face.

Miss Sensational sighed as she recalled back her fallen Grass Type, shutting her eyes melodramatically as she reached for her next Pokémon. "You're such a fun loving little boy aren't you?" she began. The watching Steven rose a brown eyebrow. She opened back her eyes and smirked knowingly as she enlarged her Poké Ball. "But I'm afraid the fun is _over._" she finished in a hateful hiss as she turned in place to send forth her next Pokémon gracefully.

Steven watched the red and white sphere explode down on the field into a four legged Pokémon; one with bizarre zebra-like stripes. "Huh…" he murmured as he examined the scowl on its face and the spiky mane on its back.

"And Sensational goes for the speedy Electric Type Zebstrika! But does it have enough speed to outrun Steven's speedy Aerodactyl?" Theodore spoke into his microphone, increasing the audience's response.

"Let's hope T. or she may be finished!"

"Stripy; give me a Flame Charge!" Sensational smirked as she gestured a hand forward. Her Zebstrika charged on, covering itself in flame energy from its own body. As it struck the wide eyed Aerodactyl, the dual Rock and Flying Type easily shrugged it off, shaking its head as it did so.

"A strange move by Miss Sensational! With Flame Charge, as expected, is a Fire Type move and as such is not very effective against a Rock Type like Aerodactyl!"

"Yeah, what could she be planning…?" Pep murmured under his breath as he joined his left leg up to the chair he sat in, transfixed on the battle.

"Hrm…" Steven murmured under his own breath as he narrowed eyes before pointing forward and issuing an order. "Double Edge!" he exclaimed and the Flying Type gleefully accorded, grinning as it shot on forward quickly. Shooting through the air, it passed the running Zebstrika, making the red eyed Trainer – and the watching audience – gasp in surprise.

"Hah!" Sensational smirked as she saw the situation in her obvious favour. "Flame Charge was not only to inflict damage but to increase my Zebstrika's Speed by one stage!" the woman laughed. "Try to hit us; you'll fail at every turn!"

Steven narrowed his eyes as he watched his Aerodactyl swing about in place to recover, eyes glaring at its scowling enemy. He raised his head up. "Your Pokémon is Electric Type, right?" he asked on over and she blinked.

"Yes but-"

"Lockjaw!" he exclaimed and shot another finger down. "Earthquake!"

The Aerodactyl screeched as it landed roughly and with surprising strength, the ground beneath it shook terribly. Miss Sensational watched on with a shocked gasp and widened eyes.

"No!" she squealed out.

Her cry was much too late for the grunting Zebstrika gave vent to its last screech of pain as the Earthquake's attack range reached, sending it crumbling to the ground on its side in a one move faint.

The audience roared their applause.

Pretty soon even some of the male side joined in a chant of Steven's name and the crimson eyed boy himself grinned as he watched on down, laying a hand lazily on the rail of his red platform. He laid his other hand on his waist and turned his right leg around to rest on its tip next to his standing left.

"Try dodgin' _that._" he only spoke out as he grinned back. The young woman stared on, flabbergasted as she could only whine back in a strange mix of shock and bewilderment.

"An _amazing_ prediction by Pallet's Murray! With the audience on his side he plans an Earthquake to successfully take out his enemy's Pokémon, just when she begins to feel safe!" the watching Theodore exclaimed above the audience's chanting.

"Two 'Mon down and one more to goooo Lo-ho-ckjawww!" Steven sing songed out as he gave vent to a little dance, his Aerodactyl flying in front of him with a similar grin. The watching Sensational was not in shape or form pleased; a monstrous scowl appeared on her face as she recalled her fallen Zebstrika, glaring over at the red eyed, dancing Trainer.

"How dare you mock me…" she began under her breath before growling as she raised up her next Poké Ball, like the others. "Try my _Trump Card!_"

Out exploded a smiling, Grass Type like looking Pokémon, dancing around in place. Steven stopped and blinked on forward.

"And finally Whimsicott is next! Another exotic Grass Type from Unova, Whimsicott is more known to be a Status Inflictor so one can only wonder as to Sensational's strategy!"

"Let's hope it pays off T.!"

"Hmph." Steven frowned hard as he watched his new enemy before grinning on forward. "Take it Lockjaw; Sky Attack!"

"Not this tiiime!" Sensational smirked toothily as she shook an index finger at the blinking boy. "Stun Spore!" she exclaimed and the seemingly silver quick Whimsicott smiled as it spun around in place, sending forth the particles of yellow dust. As the Aerodactyl charged its bright light, it was hit by the Stun Spore and as expected, paralysed the creature. Steven gasped in widened eyes.

"What the-"

"Excellently done!" Theodore exclaimed as he grinned on forward. "With this Miss Sensational may have turned the tides of battle!"

"Yeah she might actually win T.K.!" DJ Pep grinned in. Theodore instantly lost his own grin and turned a hard frown back on the youth.

"Ngh!" Steven grunted out in frustration as he watched. "Come on; shake it off!" he exclaimed but his Aerodactyl refused to do as ordered. It grunted as it shook in the air, struggling to stay aloft.

"Let's charge a Solarbeam my precious!" Miss Sensational smirked as she sing songed her words out. Steven growled as he snapped his head up to find the charging Whimsicott smiling back ominously.

Had to move, now!

"Quick Lockjaw now; Sky Attack!" he exclaimed. "Do it now!" he yelled in urgency. The Aerodactyl, with all its might, raised itself further in the air and screeched as it shot forward. With the insane speed it showed off before, it seemed to shake off the paralysation if only briefly. Sensational gasped in widened eyes as she watched.

"N-No; Precious!" she exclaimed. "Solarbeam, Solarbeam, _Solarbeaaam!_" she finished out in a livid screech, gripping her fists' fingers together roughly. The nicknamed Whimsicott blasted forth its ordered Solarbeam sure enough and Sensational smirked in victory as it shot into the narrow eyed and flying prehistoric Pokémon. Steven grunted as he blocked the bright light with his arms and watched on down.

_**4**_

Tension began to build inside the arena as the dust finally settled to reveal the fallen Whimsicott, face down on the ground. Onscreen the large television, the green side's remaining Pokémon bar metre dropped by its final number; to zero. And on the red side the following words were inscribed in red font.

_RED SIDE; VICTORY_

_WINNER – STEVEN_

_CONGRATULATIONS_

As it did, the grinning Steven's own Trainer Card picture was placed next to the confetti covered font. The audience screamed for the winner as the boy himself grinned, hopping over the railing to drop down to the arena. As he landed on his fatigued, though still strong Aerodactyl, DJ Pep screamed out his own approval in a war like cry.

"Amazing! Simply amazing!" Theodore began as he watched. "Murray won his match without ever changing Pokémon!"

The grinning red capped boy himself laughed as he flew around the arena in a lap of honour of sorts. As he did so, he had his Pokémon fly him closer to the audience stands and as he did the screaming audience stood up from their seats and extended out their arms. Steven extended his own right and slapped a high five to each and every fan that extended their own.

As he passed the left side of the audience, he caught sight of the grinning and seated Misty, watching him with knowing green eyes and folded arms. He blushed and averted his eyes as he confidently slapped the rest of his fans a high five, a cheering Bill and smiling Red included.

"Incredible! This may be one of the ICL's biggest feats in a long time! A battle like this hasn't occurred since the Championship in twenty years past! How fitting it should be repeated by Murray's son!" Theodore yelled in his microphone above the roaring din, the fans' screaming almost drowning him completely out.

Even as Steven's Aerodactyl ran out of energy to fly and had to dock, the fans in the stands leapt over the railing and screamed on for their challenger as they threw him and his Pokémon up on their arms to lift him. As they continually pushed him up into the air, the red eyed Trainer couldn't help but laugh aloud with them, his Aerodactyl screeching in shock and worry as it was pushed into the air.

Misty watched from the stands and shook her head in a disapproving sigh, a smiling and folded armed Bill next to her.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy he won?" the Administrator asked in his amiable smile, turning his head as he bent down to retrieve his back pack.

"Well yeah but…" the red head began as she turned her own head in a curious little cringe, watching the laughing boy in question. She smiled dejectedly and shook her head as she did so. "I liked it better when he was nervous." she finally admitted.

Bill laughed.

"Look at you… you little…" the hard scowling Ross began he watched the unfolding events below, his green eyes glaring daggers down at his laughing, red eyed rival. His fingers clenched into their fists angrily as he narrowed his eyes to thin slits. "Think just because you've beaten some Unovian amateur that you're a match for _me?_" he hissed out hatefully as he watched, his body slowly trembling in his pent up anger.

He shook his head and scrunched his face in a disgusted expression as he turned on his heel and walked off, eyes shut in his scowl.

"When we meet…" the brown haired boy began as he scowled in his shut eyes, disappearing down the dark corridor. "You're _finished_." he hissed out as he snapped open his green eyes in what seemed like anger, arms in his pockets as he did so.

* * *

A/N: Well hope you enjoyed you lazy, lurking, leviathans.

How's that for alliteration? ;D

All right I'm off to be traumatised by Ghetsis in Black 2; smell ya all later.


	32. The Power of Oak! A Vow Made In Spite!

**Chapter 32: The Power of Oak! A Vow Made in Spite!**

_ICL League Arc – The Droika Cup_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. I also don't own the Red Encounter music from BRGF's OST; used with permission by elimanene**

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **Chapter Briefing._

_** "Far East Suite (Pizzicato)" – Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood OST. **Scene **1**._

_** "Trembling With Eagerness" – Dynasty Warriors 5 OST. **Scene **2**._

_** "Johto Trainer Battle" –** **Pokémon Anime OST. **Scene **3. **(First Half)_

_** "You're In A Pinch!**" –** Pokémon Black and White OST. **Scene **3** (Second Half)._

_** "Red Encounter"; Steven's Theme – Pokémon Blaze Red and Green Forest OST. **Scene **4.**_

_In Block 'B' Steven wins his battle with the self-acclaimed Miss Sensational quite handsomely and moves onto the Semi Finals, quickly gaining in popularity with both the fans and the official commentators. As he readies for his match in the next morning, he watches the constant Battles around the Indigo Conference League and raises his morale and fighting spirit as he does so, excited for his next match._

_However as he watches, he finally catches a battle on camera starring his very rival himself, the green eyed Ross Oak…_

_**Scene 1**_

"Nice one!" Danielle grinned out in a gasping open of her mouth, the grinning Steven standing in front of her. He pulled out his Aerodactyl's Poké Ball and held it on forward in his right palm, turning his body low to his right as he did so.

"You dang _right_ it's a nice one!" the red capped boy shot back out with as he grinned confidently, standing up straight as he raised the Poké Ball to his own crimson eyes. He grinned back at the similar expressed and recovered Pokémon, giving it a wink and a morale raising thumbs up.

"Of course you'll _still_ be lagging behind me ya know…" the girl grinned as she rubbed her knuckles against her chest in early triumph, her eyes shut as she did so.

"Hah! Dream on Johto kid!" Steven shot back in a similar playful grin as he took a step forward and thrust an accusing finger at her. "I'd like to see you try!"

"Oh yeah? Well…" the brown haired girl grinned on back as she continued the tirade of trash talk. Misty sighed as she watched the two go at it, a smiling and pocketed armed Bill standing next to her.

"It's hard to believe they met through _screaming_ at each other," the red head began in a heavy breath as she folded her arms at the two ahead of her. Bill laughed as he threw his head back.

"Yeah true that!" the nerd grinned back as he watched the squabbling two. "You kids can mystify the mind sometimes,"

"Hey!" Misty shot back in a playful grin, an offended tone to her voice as the glasses wearing young man turned his own head to grin back at her. "I resent that!"

"Resent it or not… it's true." the Administrator shot back as he gave the young girl a wink and some finger guns. She grinned though playfully punched the young man on his arm, eliciting a laugh from him.

"Well if you're feeling _that_ confident… let's see you back up your words," Danielle grinned as she turned her head. Steven waved off the matter with an overconfident grin of his own, joining his hands behind his head as he winked at her.

"Nah; I wouldn't wanna break your spirit before your match today. I _am_ a nice guy ya know," he added on in a sarcastic, jokey like tone. Danielle threw her head back and laughed before playfully punching the boy.

"You can watch ringside and watch me kick his ass!"

"Oh yeah? Anyone I know?" Steven grinned back.

"Ahh doubt it; Ross something or other,"

Steven's face blanched and he lost his playful grin. "R-Ross?"

"Yeah…" Danielle blinked on back as she frowned at him. "Ross Oak… do you know him?"

The boy's face turned into a light scowl and Danielle raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't underestimate him; this guy goes all out,"

"But… I'm sure I can-" she began in a nervous laugh as she smiled however the stony faced Steven shook his head slowly, stopping her laugh almost immediately.

"Don't play to his strengths; he's incredibly intelligent, people call him a genius and everything. _Never_ let him doubt yourself, or let him put you down,"

"He… puts people down?" the young girl blinked back in a slowly worrying expression. Steven nodded in a hard frown.

"Yeah. Don't let him get inside your head; he relies on that to make his opponent lose or give up,"

"Uh… all right," the girl murmured as she lowered her head and winced.

"Don't worry."

She raised her head in a blink and Steven grinned on back as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know you can beat him," he claimed in his nod. A smile grew on her face and she nodded back.

"Thanks Steven." the Johto bound girl smiled and the named boy himself nodded back again.

"Calling Pokémon Trainer Danielle Hunt… Trainer Identification Number 78359…" the speakers above the group echoed outwith. The named Trainer herself blinked as she raised her head to watch the ceiling, listening to the woman's voice on the announcer. "Your battle in Block 'B' will begin in a half an hour. Please report to Block B's field and attend to register. Thank you." the woman's voice finished before the announcer gave a click, as if to signal the end of the broadcast.

"Guess that means I'm up…" Danielle murmured as she bit her lip.

"You'll be fine." Steven shot back in a grin. "Just believe in yourself and don't listen to Ross!"

"Yeah; Steven's right." Misty agreed as she walked next to the boy, smiling at the girl. "Don't let him put you down," she claimed. Bill nodded along with her as he placed his hands in his pockets casually.

"They're _both _right. Have confidence in yourself and you'll do fine," the young man claimed in his smile. Danielle laughed nervously as she nodded at the three.

"Thanks guys; you're the greatest." she replied before weaving in between them to head out of the locker room for the Block A side. She turned around in her smile as she watched them, about to leave. "So I'll see you at Block B in the ringside?" she asked and Steven smirked back as he raised a thumbs up at her.

"You got it! We'll be there before you will!" he shot back in his winking grin. She laughed before giving the group a final wave and running out.

"Do you think she can do it? Beat Ross I mean," Misty asked as she turned her head and Steven slowly lost his smile.

"I dunno… I sure hope so." he answered before narrowing his eyes. "She better be ready 'cause he won't hold back,"

"Hm…" the red head murmured as she turned back to the locker's main door, lightly wincing as she did so. Bill smiled and shook his head as he took a few steps forward.

"Come on guys!" he smiled before disappearing in. Steven nodded and followed, Misty at his side.

He had a bad feeling about this battle.

_**2**_

"Hello and welcome back to the Pokémon Battling Association, sponsored by the Indigo Conference League!" Theodore Kent smiled in as the sun glare down on the simple stadium, lit up by the whooping audience. "Today you're joining us in the _exciting_ Semi Final rounds of the Tournament!"

"You got it Thee!" Theodore's young partner grinned in as he gave the older man a fist bump, laying his legs across the table in a show of laziness. "Yeah, we're gettin' _so_ close to that big win at the finals that'll net the winner the big Fifty Mil', not to mention the epic title of regional _Champion!_" the exuberant youth exclaimed as he tore himself into a less lazy outlook, grinning as he yelled into his microphone. The audience yelled with him as he spoke, clearly in the palm of his hand. Theodore chuckled as he watched and nodded.

"Right you are Pep and here come our challengers in Block B now!" the older man smiled as he pointed on with his microphone. Sure enough, out of the red corner came a smiling young brown haired girl, her long hair tied into a neat ponytail, the sides of her long hair coming down on her shoulders. The audience whooped for her as she nervously waved back. "Our first Battler is a young girl from Johto on the west coast! From the famous Hunt family of Johto please give a warm welcome to Danielle!" he smiled as he introduced the young girl, reading a slip of paper on his outside desk. The audience of course cheered for the cringing young girl as she walked onto her corner's side, waiting by the frowning and nodding referee.

Onscreen the huge LCD television provided was the young girl's statistical sheet. As on her Trainer Card, she carried a confident grin on her picture to the top right. Her name's font was in an electrical blue while her win, loss and draw ratio were drawn up. Several wins were recorded and only a single loss was imprinted. Finally, a dark Pokémon – her Umbreon – was imprinted next to her Trainer Card picture as sign of her 'Pokémon of choice'.

"Chick's definitely proven herself!" DJ Pep grinned in as he leant lazily once more on his chair and desk. Theodore grinned back as he nodded.

"Indeed! And from the green corner we have a quickly growing fan favourite, a supposed Battling Prodigy in his own right and the legendary Professor Samuel Oak's grandson… it's Ross Oak!" the man introduced with a bright smile as he gestured his left arm over to his own left. Out of the locker room and green corner walked out an ever scowling Ross Oak himself, folded armed as always. He walked out and stood for a moment or two as the audience screamed his name, his green eyes darting between the audience, perhaps looking for someone. When he couldn't seem to find them, he walked on forwards, arms still folded in his dark expression.

Onscreen his name's font was coloured in a deep, dark green while his scowling expression from his Trainer Card covered the right top portion of the statistical sheet. On his picture's right was his 'Pokémon of choice', his Venusaur and finally below his picture was his win, loss and draw ratio. With an intimidating number of wins and zero losses and draws, the audience screamed his name.

"Ross…" Steven muttered as he sat in the audience stands on the left, eyes glaring down at the scowling boy in question. "You better not do what I _think_ you're gonna do…"

"Ross Oak has already _torn_ through the entire challenges he's been given and at a record time too! Already beating his father's record in the ICL Tournament, Peter Oak, he's already become the number one top contender not only in _this_ Tournament but in future ones!" Theodore exclaimed as he explained, the audience screaming with him and for their uncaring idol. The boy himself glared at his cringing opponent as he walked on towards her and the referee, stopping just short of the two. The referee watched between the two before turning for a confirmation nod by the commentators.

"Battle Style will be Singles and three on the field; all levels will be reset to fifty, no Pokémon of the same Type and no items of the same type. Now… shake hands!" the thin man nodded forward. Danielle was the first to raise her hand, shaking and cringing under Ross' watch. The glaring Ross watched her for what seemed like an eternity before he finally took one of his arms out of his folds to shake with though slowly and seemingly hesitantly. As he finally shook her hand, Danielle resisted the urge to yank away her hand and squeal in pain as his grip on her was resolute.

She raised her eyes up to his and found him glaring deep into her own eyes and she winced again. "W-What are you-?"

"Let's have some fun… shall we?" he finished in his darkened glare, his voice taking in a menacing tone as she watched, fear growing. Luckily for her the referee stepped in and smiled as he clapped his hands softly.

"Let's have a clean match; good luck Trainers. May you be ever favourable in victory." he smiled before turning and heading off the grassy stadium. Ross gave a final squeeze to her hand and she bit her lip in the pain before he finally let go, turning to stalk off to the green corner. She watched him in a heavy breathing gulp before turning and heading to her red corner.

She had a bad feeling about this.

_**3**_

"Hmph!" Ross exclaimed out as he vaulted out his first Poké Ball of the match. It exploded in mid-air and white energy flew down to form a growling Electabuzz, flexing its muscles as the grass around its feet raised up in the static electricity.

"And Ross Oak begins with an _Electabuzz!_ What will Danielle throw out in reply?" Theodore smiled in his microphone, however as the beginner horn sounded off, Danielle herself grunted as she threw forth her own Pokémon, the ball opening up before shutting closed in an audible snap. White energy flew down to form a mouse like Pokémon covered in white spots and blue in colour.

"Not the best play honey!" DJ Pep yelled out as he chewed gum, leaning on his chair forward.

"Ahh an Azumarill! This can only mean that Danielle is already at a disadvantage but can she turn the tides before the tides consume her?" Theodore added on and the audience yelled her name in their own exuberance.

"Eugh!" Danielle gasped out as she raised up her Poké Ball to recover her frowning Azumarill however the narrow eyed Ross saw his opportunity and pointed his finger forward in his hateful scowl.

"Creel; go now!" he exclaimed and sure enough, the standby waiting Electric Type shot to action, sprinting on with surprising speed. As the narrow eyed Danielle recovered back her Azumarill, she sent out another Pokémon, this time in defence. A flier escaped her next Poké Ball and grinned on with long fangs as it escaped; it looked a little like a bat if anything.

A Gligar.

"Ha! Now _that's_ how ya play the game!" DJ Pep grinned in as he sat up from his seat, suddenly interested in the Battle.

"Just like that a switch in to protect herself from Ross' expected Electric Type attack; Danielle isn't done yet!" Theodore grinned back as he nodded on forward, the audience screaming with him. Danielle gained a wary grin on her face as she watched, hoping her prediction was true.

"No Danielle, don't!" Steven yelled from his seat as he gripped the railing, forcing his body forward as the wide eyed Misty and Bill grabbed him to stop him from falling. The brown haired Johto girl turned her head up in a wondering blink. "He's not gonna use the Thunderpunch! It's the-"

"Now; Ice Punch!" Ross' deep voice echoed in the stadium.

Danielle gasped as she snapped her head 'round to find her opponent's Electabuzz smashing a charged fist, this time of snowy ice into her wide eyed Gligar's body. It screeched in the immense pain as it was sent flying back from the sheer strength of the Pokémon, crashing into the red corner stand that Danielle stood on. "No!" she exclaimed out as she gripped the railing, looking over to find her fallen Gligar in a pained expression, eyes crossed out.

"Oooh that's _gotta_ hurt!" Pep winced as he watched, turning his eyes away from the carnage.

"You're tellin' me Pep! A times _four_ Supereffective hit! Gligar sure isn't walking out of _that_ one unscathed." Theodore agreed in a cringe of his own.

Onscreen the huge television, one of the three lights on Danielle's side sounded off and the light itself dimmed out to signify one fainted Pokémon. As the brown haired girl herself recovered her fallen Pokémon, she cringed in a sigh. "I'm sorry…" she apologised down to the fallen Pokémon as she buried her face in the Poké Ball. Turning the sphere small however, she placed it on her belt and fingered the rest of her Poké Balls. With narrowed eyes she watched the similarly dark expressions of Ross and his Electabuzz and shivered.

How did he predict she'd switch like that?

Maybe he really _was_ a Battling Prodigy.

Maybe…

Maybe he could read her _mind_…

No, she thought angrily and shook her head of the thought.

Don't think stupid thoughts; think positive.

Can't bring out Dragonair, she thought; not with that Electabuzz using Ice Punch…

So maybe…

A slow grin grew on her face.

It may just work.

"Go!" Danielle exclaimed as she threw forth her next Poké Ball. The sphere exploded to reveal a white energy forming into a humanoid, bug like shape. Sure enough it gave full form and a narrow eyed, red and shiny Pokémon glared back. The audience screamed Danielle's name as she grinned back and Ross narrowed his eyes in a lightly puzzled expression.

"An excellent choice on Hunt! Realising her previous weaknesses to the Electric _and_ Ice Types, she replies with a Bug and Steel Type; Scizor!" Theodore exclaimed over the deafening audience.

"For you newbies out there, Scizor is _actually_ supposed to be an evolution to Scyther from Bug and Flying!" DJ Pep grinned on in past his sunglasses.

"Right you are Pep; now let's continue watch on the battle!" Theodore smiled as he turned his attention back.

"What now?" Danielle grinned on over as she stood more confidently, more sure of herself. The scowling Ross watched her in a glare and she waggled a finger at him. "Glare at me all ya want; you're not gonna frighten _me_ away!" she exclaimed. The audience bellowed their approval for her as they watched and even Steven gave a light grin from his seat.

"That's the way!" he yelled over in his own grin.

"All right Scizor; Sandstorm!" the girl exclaimed as she pointed on forward. A small vortex of flying sand reverberated around the narrow eyed Scizor's feet and as it quickly grew in rotation and power, the watching audience all yelled as they blocked their eyes from the weather. Bar the grinning Danielle and the scowling, folded armed Ross, everyone else turned their eyes away from the battle. "Let's see you try and hit us _now!_" Danielle's voice exclaimed in the blank brown of the sandstorm her Scizor created. The narrow eyed Ross darted his eyes across the field as he watched for signs of her Pokémon's appearance silently.

"Hmph…" he muttered in his throat as he glared on.

"Bullet Punch!"

Right enough, her Scizor shot out from the inky brown before smashing its silver quick clawed fists across the grunting Electabuzz's face. As the disgruntled Electric Type attempted a quick chopping counterattack, the narrow eyed Scizor leapt back into the sandstorm safely, avoiding both attack _and_ surveillance.

"How do you like _that?!_" the grinning Danielle's voice exclaimed from the red corner of the field. Ross' scowl grew darker, if that were possible, and he turned his narrowed green eyes up to her blocked position, twitching in what seemed like fury.

"It seems as if Hunt is opting for a hit and run strategy!" Theodore exclaimed above the deafening audience and the howling of the sandstorm as he blocked his eyes from the grains of sand. "Oak can't seem to push through!"

Ross' green eyes narrowed into a silent, though monstrous scowl. "Oh we'll see…" he muttered angrily, breathing heavily in his silent fury as he did so.

"Bullet Punch!" Danielle's voice yelled out. Her Scizor shot out from the blank sandstorm to smack the grunting Electabuzz once more before easily evading its counterattack in an acrobat like back flip, re-joining its cover. Ross' eyes narrowed ever so slightly more as he growled darkly in his throat.

"That's it Danni! You got him now!" Steven yelled from his seat, grinning as he punched the air and gripped the railing, on the edge of his seat. Danielle grinned from her podium as she watched, her Scizor in perfect, plain view.

Steven was right; she had this in the bag if she kept up with her Sandstorm strategy!

"Finish his Electabuzz; one more Bullet Punch!" Danielle grinned as she pointed forward exuberantly. However the narrow eyed Ross shut his eyes as he interrupted her.

"If you think you've beaten me…" he began in his shut eyed glare, arms folded and all. He snapped his green eyes open as he scowled angrily. "Then you're wrong! Electabuzz!" he began outward and as the Scizor leapt from its place in the sandstorm, Ross' similarly angry Electric Type raised up a ball of electricity in its antenna above its head. "Electro Ball!" he yelled out. The Pokémon growled as he sent forth the ball shooting toward the leaping Scizor's legs. The glowing electric ball hit in mid-air and tripped up the wide eyed Bug and Steel Type, sending it crashing to the ground face down.

"What's he-?" Danielle gasped out as she watched on, shocked at his choice of attack.

As the defenceless Scizor skid across the ground, it ended up at the narrow eyed Electric Type's feet. "Now Creel! Burn!" Ross yelled out as he scowled on forward. Artificial fire burned on the Electric Type's arms and it growled as it raised them up.

"Oh no!" Danielle gasped out in a cringe. "Quick, move!" she exclaimed but it was too late.

_CRASH_

A meaty explosion covered in fire was given as show and as the narrow eyed Electabuzz smashed its fists into the screeching Scizor, the sandstorm that the Bug and Steel Type had started soon left the field, allowing the audience to watch on.

"Oh _man_…" Pep cringed in a wheezing hiss as he tore his eyes away from the painful scream the Scizor gave vent to.

"Another four times Supereffective hit by Ross' Electabuzz; the fearsome _Fire Punch!_" Theodore exclaimed and the women's side of the audience screamed for their idol once more.

As the gasping Danielle fell to her knees, she watched her fallen and burned Scizor languish on the grassy field, Ross' Electabuzz raising its dark scowl to her. She raised her head up in gasping fatigue to find the glaring Ross watching her angrily, one of the lights on the large television screen dimming out as before.

"No…" she murmured out as she cringed on forward, Ross' green eyed glare cutting to the very depths of her soul. "No… I can't… he's too…"

"Danielle!"

She gasped and turned her head to her left to find a leaning Steven, almost over the railing. A frustrated Bill and Misty held onto him for fear of falling as before. "Steven…" she gasped out in her wondering blink.

"Don't give up!" he exclaimed over the screaming of the audience. The women turned their heads and all glared down at him walking down from their stands and menacingly approaching him. "Don't let him shake you; we _know_ you can do this! You let him get to you and it's game over!"

"Yeah but…" Danielle murmured as she watched her red eyed friend yell over. The women that approached him finally reached and leapt for the boy, eliciting a pained yell from him as he and his companions were induced into a comical like white cloud of smoke. She grunted as she raised herself up on her feet, dusting herself off as she recovered her fallen Scizor.

Steven was right; she _had_ to make this count.

"Rgh! Go!" the Johto bound Battler grunted out as she threw up her final Pokémon. Ross watched on in a raise of his dark brown eyebrow until finally his enemy was revealed. A shaggy haired and icy breathing swine like monster stood on the grassy field, growling lowly as it did so.

"Now with her final Pokémon, a Piloswine, Danielle hopes to turn the tide of battle! But how will she, with her situation in such a disadvantage? Stay tuned!" Theodore grinned as he turned his smile on the watching camera.

"Before he can attack!" Danielle exclaimed out as she thrust another finger forward. "_Earthquake!_"

Ross' eyes widened unexpectedly as the ground shook terribly; he even had to grasp at the railings on his green podium as the Earthquake attack struck his grunting Electabuzz. It gave its final grunt of pain before falling to its knees and trembling before finally dropping to the ground, a final tiny static of electricity.

One of Ross' three green lights dimmed by one on the huge television screen, his similarly coloured eyes widened in shock as he watched over at the glaring Danielle. "You…" he began in a whispering frown, his eyes widened. The women's side of the audience booed but it was overthrown by the screaming yells of the audience, Danielle's glare hard on the wide eyed Ross. His simple frown quickly turned into his monstrous scowl however and this one was worse than the last.

"How do you like that? Ross' Electabuzz is taken out by one of the most _easily_ anticipated attacks and the first one to achieve this honour in the entire Tournament is Miss Hunt! Give her a hand people!" Theodore grinned as he raised his clenched arm in respect. The audience clapped and whooped, yelled and whistled for the young girl.

Ross couldn't seem to take it; his glare grew worse and he yelled as he savagely tore a Poké Ball from his belt and tossed it in the ring. It exploded out to reveal his ever known Venusaur, a silent green eyed glare on its face in comparison to its master.

"_Enough of this!_" the livid Ross began out as he thrust his arm forward. "_Frenzy Plaaaant!_" he bellowed out in all his mad anger. Danielle gasped in shock as she heard the name of the attack and her eyes darted down for the sight of the attack. She couldn't seem to see it and her panic grew.

"Oh no…" she muttered as she watched the glaring Venusaur tremble in the earth, watching her knowingly.

"No Danielle!" Steven's yell came once again. "It's coming from bel-"

Steven's warning was too late as he was interrupted by the thorny vines exploding from the grassy field below her Piloswine. They grappled at the grunting Piloswine and brought it into the air, holding it in place in the air. Ross glared on with grit teeth as he glared angrily and Danielle watched on up in widened eyes.

"No!" the girl exclaimed up as she cringed. "Let it go! Let Piloswine go!"

"As you wish…" Ross' narrow eyed growl replied back and he grunted similarly to his Venusaur as it gave forth a final effort in its attack. The Frenzy Plant that held the Ice and Ground dual Type opened up a flower to another flower that gave off a ticking sound.

"No!" Steven yelled out in widened red eyes as he watched. "Danielle! Get out of there _now!_" the boy exclaimed in a horrified expression. The brown haired Trainer had little time to react however for the flower gave off its last tick before it suddenly exploded in mid-air. Danielle yelled out as she was sent back from the force of the explosion, her Piloswine following suite, burned and badly beaten. As they were, the shown damage to Danielle's red podium was immense; even the protective railing was scorched and twisted all away, as if rotted and burnt from intense use.

Silence followed as the dust cleared and as the audience got a silent look at the fallen Danielle on the other side of the map, her Piloswine cradled in her lap, the referee turned and rose up the green flag on his right. "Danielle Hunt's Piloswine is unable to battle! Ross Oak and his Venusaur are the winners!" he exclaimed out and as the huge television turned channel to show his Trainer Card picture, words inscribed thus were covered in digital confetti.

_WINNER; ROSS OAK_

_CONGRATULATIONS_

"That almost got out of hand there but what an _amazing_ battle and quite possibly the best we've seen so far to _date!_" Theodore yelled out in his microphone in extreme enthusiasm, his whooping companion DJ Pep screaming through his own microphone.

"You _daaamn_ right Thee! _Roooooooss OAK!_" the young man screamed through his microphone, soon beginning a chant in amongst the audience. The narrow eyed watching Steven growled as he glared down at the similarly scowling Ross, turning his body around to be taken down his green podium via the small elevator provided.

"Steve? What are you…?" Misty began as she watched him from his left side, raising a wary red eyebrow. He didn't answer; not verbally anyway and instead he grunted as he leapt over the railing, eyes narrowed. "Steve no!" she exclaimed and leapt for him but missed by a fraction.

"Oh no…" Bill groaned, driving his face into his palm.

_**4**_

"Danielle!" Steven exclaimed as he rushed over, eyes narrowed lightly. The groaning girl raised her battered head and smiled wanly.

"Hi Steve…" she managed out in wheezing. She coughed roughly in a grunt. "Pretty pathetic huh…" she chuckled. Steven winced as he knelt down to help pick her up and recover her fallen Piloswine however a voice soon interrupted him.

"Pathetic isn't the word for it."

The boy gasped as he 'rounded himself to glare behind. Sure enough a folded armed and similarly scowling Ross stood a few steps ahead of him, green eyes narrowed. Bar the screaming audience and the confetti, there were no sounds around the two boys, the tension growing as they glared into each other's eyes; red and green.

"Why did you do that?" Steven questioned as he growled on over, head held low as Ross raised a curious eyebrow. "There was no need! You could have killed them!"

Ross turned his nose up at the red capped boy. "What's it to me if a weakling from Johto's life is snuffed out? Sacrifices have to made to make great Champions,"

"That's no excuse!" Steven yelled back as he chopped at the air angrily with his left hand. "Who are _you_ to tell people what they can and can't be?! She can be whatever she wants if she just works hard enough for it! Anyone can!"

"You make me sick." Ross muttered as he glared back. Steven watched on in silence, red eyes narrowed. "You're everything a Champion is _not_. Look at you…" he snorted on derisively as he turned his green eyes up and down the glaring boy's body. "You're just like her…" he began in his narrow eyed glare. Steven's own red orbs widened as he listened for his next words. He whispered his next words and even leaned in as he glared. "You're a _joke,_"

"Rgh!" Steven growled out as he leapt forward to attack his green eyed rival however two burly men from the security division of the ICL leapt in to grapple the boy's arms and prevent him from moving. Ross chuckled on as he smirked.

"I thought you were more… civilised than that and clearly you're not smart either. I expected you to take my advice and leave the Tournament; go back to Pallet. But no… you didn't listen and now… now you'll face the _pinnacle_ of what can even be termed as a humiliating defeat." Ross began in his narrow eyed glare. Steven growled as he struggled in the burly men's grip. "I hope you'll be ready for it… because I won't hold back." the green eyed Battler whispered out before turning around and heading off, folded arms and all.

The security men let go of the boy's arms and he sighed as he ringed them 'round his shoulder to bring feeling back in them. He raised his left arm to his mouth to amplify his words as he called. "Ross!" he exclaimed and sure enough, the boy turned his head around to glare back at the boy. Steven rose up his left, clenched fist and with a hard, narrow eyed glare he watched on back at the boy. "I vow to _win!_" he yelled out and as the transfixed audience watched, they yelled their approval. Ross turned his eyes up at the screaming men and women as they chanted his rival's name continually.

The green eyed prodigy ground his teeth together in a growling glare before he uttered but one response. "We'll see." the boy finalised in his hateful glower before he turned again and continued.

The audience continued their chanting as Steven narrowed his red eyes and watched his rival walk away, a strange sort of calmness washing over him inside an adrenaline filled storm.

In front of millions of people on live television he had just made a promise and one he initially thought would have been scary to fulfil.

Now he grinned as the wind played around with his hair, his confidence breaking through his previous barriers.

"_You _will_ see Ross."_ he thought in his knowing grin as he watched the boy disappear. _"You will."_

A/N: Poor Danielle. = (

Well hope you enjoyed anyway; I'm off now to the P.W.T. in Black 2 Muhahaha. 'Till next time you lazy bastards.


	33. Imposter! A Battle of Identity!

**Chapter 33: Imposter! A Battle of Identity!**

_ICL League Arc – The Droika Cup_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. **

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_** "Fight! Trainer" – Pokémon Red, Green and Blue OST. **__Scene __**3**__._

_**"Pokémon Gym 2" – Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**3**__ (Second Half)._

_** "I Got a Victory Badge!**__" – __**Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**4**__._

_With Danielle's loss to the ever hateful Ross Oak, she drops out of the knockout Tournament, many psychological scars dealt to her as a result of her opponent picking her apart. Ross' proclaimed rival Steven sees this and becomes outraged with his Pallet brother, claiming loudly in front of a television audience that he would vow to beat the hateful Trainer in their upcoming Pokémon Battle._

_Now however the Semi-finals go underway in Block 'A' and Steven readies his Pokémon as well as himself for his next Battle…_

_**Scene 1**_

"Ready?" Misty asked as she watched the young boy ahead of her narrow his crimson eyes down at the Poké Balls on the table ahead of him. His eyes darted between them as he quickly went through possible formations and threats in his head.

He could take Maelstrom…

But what if someone has a Ground Type Pokémon in their team?

Then maybe Lockjaw can take care of those…

He noticed Lockjaw seemed to be really useful as of late but he couldn't depend on it too much.

All right; Caesar, Maelstrom… one more…

"Here, take this one." Misty's voice interrupted and she walked over him, laying a Poké Ball in his conjoined hands. He blinked and turned his head up at her on his top left. She smiled down at him in response. "It's a Kabutops; I got it years ago when I visited Pewter for a vacation and I've been training it ever since,"

"Kabutops huh…" the boy blinked as he looked down at the added sphere in his hand.

"It's Rock and Water Type that's better in the rain so it works well with your Magneton." the red head smiled as she folded her arms down at the red capped Trainer. "You'll obviously wanna do some quick research on it with your Pokédex thing but otherwise you should be fine; I believe in you," she smiled back at him and he blinked again as he turned his eyes to meet hers.

He slowly smiled back in a nod before standing up off his chair and belting his three Poké Balls. Surprising the blinking red head however he pulled her in for a hug and taken by surprise she could only turn her aquamarine eyes to the grinning boy embracing her as best she could, given her form. "Thanks Mist." he grinned in and she smiled as she raised her arms to similarly embrace him. They remained like that for a little while before the boy finally pulled back and grinned on back confidently as he laid a hand on his hip. "I do too!" he shot back as he raised his fist in a confident clenching. She chuckled back at him.

"That's great." she replied as she laid her left hand across her arm, feeling the imprint he left on her.

"Yo guys!" Bill's voice exclaimed down the locker room's hall, smiling as he turned his head in, arms gripping the door frame as he did so. The blinking pair turned their heads to face him. "It's time Steve!" the Administrator smiled before disappearing back into the hall. Misty turned to face the boy and smiled again as she played around with his red jacketed collar and the rest of his clothes.

"Kabutops has the Swift Swim Ability which you can really only activate in Rain Dance so you'll wanna even quickly teach your Magneton it or something since it's pretty sturdy and don't forget to use Aqua Jet; it's a priority move which means you'll always go first and with the Rain in effect as well as Kabutop's same type attack bonus-"

"Misty!"

She blinked and raised her eyes to meet his. He chuckled and laid her hands down as she did so.

"I'll be fine." he smiled back as he held her hands softly. She smiled in response and looked down, a little embarrassed. "I'll make your Kabutops famous; just watch!" he shot back and she laughed as he turned to run for the exit.

"Just don't let it go to your head!" she called after him, grinning as she did so. The boy only grinned back as he turned his head around half way to meet her as he stopped in front of the exit momentarily before continuing on and running down the challenger's hall.

_**2**_

"Good morning Kanto and Johto; this is your man on the scene Theodore Kent and with me always is my partner in crime, DJ Pep!"

"Yo!" the grinning claimed DJ exclaimed through his microphone as he laid back in his seat and raised his legs to rest on the desk up ahead of him. "With all the _great_ Battles we've seen up to now, we got another one to show ya today! Your favourite red capped rival battles the new guy today in the Semi-_Finaaaaals!_" the ever exuberant commentator yelled out of his microphone as he grinned.

"That's right Pep; Block 'A''s Battlers are no joke! This Battle will put the winner on the podium for the Finals." Theodore began as he smiled through his own microphone. "And our Battlers are great ones in their own right; let's introduce our Battler in the red corner, Steven!" the man grinned as he turned his head over to the lit up hallway on the group's right. The similarly grinning, red capped young man walked out in his name being chanted out by the watching crowd. He rose up his right arm in greeting and though fisted, he turned it into a grinning thumbs up, eliciting another roar from the crowd.

Onscreen the huge, HD television was the boy's grinning face taken from his official Trainer Card and his name written in a fiery font above. On the picture's left was the Pallet boy's official ICL win and loss record.

_3 Win(s)_

_0 Losses_

_0 Draws_

"This boy's certainly seen his share of luck; after beating his first Battle with the Hoenn Champion candidate Abel Abdullah his name was quickly known throughout the Indigo Conference!" Theodore claimed in his smile as he turned to look up at the named boy's record onscreen.

"Yeah you got _that_ right Thee!" Pep yelled as enthusiastically as ever through his microphone, raising it up as his voice reverberated throughout the outdoor stadium. "This kid's got the P in Power and Pallet and the S in Surprise and Shock! You got his name and you guys love him; it's _Steven!_" the young man yelled out, his voice screaming out above the deafening cheers of the crowding audience.

Steven grinned back in turning his capped head across the screaming audience, saluting as he stopped at the red side's halfway point, earning another deafening cheer.

"And now from the Green Corner, a challenger from a foreign Block…" Theodore began as the audience quietened down to a dull roar. He took his spectacles from the open table ahead of him and read the paper down below, eyes squinting. "Steven _Murray?_" he blinked out in a confused expression.

"What?" DJ Pep blinked similarly as he turned his head around in a similarly shocked frown. Theodore shrugged only as they turned to find a similarly dressed young man in question, his grin hid beneath his cap. The first named Steven blinked as he turned his own head to face his opponent before narrowing his red eyes back at the walking boy, the audience slowly murmuring as they died down their applause, wondering at the events.

"You…!" Steven gasped out as he watched his doppelganger advance on him, grinning beneath his cap. As he stopped in front of him the area resounded in pure silence and Steven narrowed his red eyes as he growled lowly.

This is the guy from Cerulean; he thought that used a Charmeleon. He had forgotten all about him until now.

Regardless the narrow eyed and frowning Steven rose up his left, fingerless gloved arm in a suspicious stare, watching for his enemy to rise up his head. The chubby referee finally stopped ahead and in the centre between them, watching them both with a blink of his own before sighing and shaking his head.

"The Battle will be conducted Singles Style, Flat Battle so all levels are reverted to fifty, same use of Pokémon and items will result in disqualification and all ICL brand rules apply here today." the man began as he frowned at the two. "You may throw your Poké Balls any time after my call; understood?" he asked and raised his arms to himself as if to show the two through gestures. Steven nodded though kept his suspicious stare on his opponent and his doppelganger similarly nodded, his head held low as he grinned. "All right; shake hands." he began again and Steven nodded as his opponent raised his hand slowly to grab hold of his own.

"Good luck," the red capped boy murmured as he glared forward, waiting for him to raise his head up. When he finally did, Steven got a look at his eyes and his hair beneath his cap and when he did he nearly did a double take, his eyes widening.

Green eyes just like Ross and greyed out hair.

"Likewise." the doppelganger spoke in a heavier tone, grinning as he did so. Steven blinked.

He looked so… familiar…

"All right, let's have a clean match; good luck gentleman." the referee claimed out in his business like frown as he clapped his hands softly before turning back to the way line. The doppelganger turned around similarly and headed back to his Green Corner, walking to the elevator to send him up to his podium. Steven was left narrow eyed and watching, possible thoughts as to who his opponent really was.

Moreover why was he pretending to be him of all people?

"Hrm…" the boy murmured out as he glared up at the contrastingly grinning Trainer before finally turning around and heading to his own podium.

"Folks I honestly don't know what to say to you but it seems we have a type of drama in our very own ICL! Today's challenger is a clone of our red capped hero!" Theodore claimed out of his microphone, allowing the murmuring audience to listen in.

"Woo yeah this is some freaky Twilight Zone stuff T.!" DJ Pep exclaimed in his brash persona, grinning as he always did.

Steven glared forward back at his new opponent as he was lifted into his podium via the elevator below him, his arms limp at his side though fluent in their movement should battle begin. His red eyes narrowed as he watched.

Time to unmask you, you pretender he thought.

His fingers lined the Poké Balls on his belt, itching to go…

_**3**_

"Maelstrom go!" Steven yelled out as he shot forward his first Poké Ball of the match, his red eyes narrowed. His opponent grinned as he pulled back his own Poké Ball before tossing it in reply, exploding open in mid-air and sending forth the similar white energy that was his Pokémon.

Steven's Steel and Electric Type Magneton levitated in air as the bolts around it loosened and tightened, its three eyes watching wide and curiously as its white energy foe finally formed. A Bug and Grass dual Type glared forward, a huge mushroom on its back and Steven blinked as he examined it.

"Steven sends out a new candidate we've yet to see; his Magneton! And as his enemy replies with a Parasect we can only wonder as to our Battlers' intentions!" the grinning Theodore exclaimed in his microphone, the audience yelling with him.

"Parasect huh…" Steven murmured as he watched it with his narrowed eyes. "Grass and Bug Type doesn't match well against Steel Types…" he began as his grin grew. "You're finished! Maelstrom; use-"

"Spore," the doppelganger grinned from his side of the stadium, his arms folded knowingly.

"Huh?!" the blinking red capped boy frowned out as he watched the mushroom Pokémon wiggle its body, sending out particles of dust before shooting them forward at his helpless Steel Type.

"With Parasect's higher Speed, it moved first! How will Steven reply?" Theodore's voice echoed through the large speakers and the named boy himself narrowed his eyes.

Should have done his homework on this particular Pokémon.

His Magneton, now asleep, levitated on but at a slower rate than before its wide eyes now shut as it slumbered peacefully.

"Now Brick Break." the unknown challenger grinned on in a calm posturing folding of his arms. Steven's eyes widened as he watched the Parasect leap with surprising speed, its pincers shaping up like fists. As it crashed into the Magneton, it sent it flying and tumbling into the ground though not so far as to become invisible from its Trainer.

"Rgh!" Steven grunted in frustration as he watched his Magneton being assailed by the Bug and Grass dual Type's Supereffective attack, eyes narrowing as he did so. "Wake up Maelstrom!" he yelled and sure enough, the Steel and Electric dual Type made a loud echoing buzz, like a machine of some kind as it glared forward in its wide eyed state. Steven laughed as he grinned and shot a fist into the air. "Hidden Power; go!" he yelled.

The watching doppelganger gasped in widened eyes of his own as he watched the green energy fly in droves from the similar expressed Magneton. As the orbs of green energy crashed into the Parasect, it gave out a loud and high pitched screech as it was sent continually skidding back from each orb of green.

Steven grinned as he watched, his own arms folding as he rose up only his right fingers in a peace sign through his folded arms. "Hidden Power Fire Style; gotcha." he finally grinned, eliciting a cheerful roar from the audience. The watching doppelganger blinked once before narrowing his green eyes past in a scowling glare, losing his previous grin as he raised his Poké Ball to recall his fallen Parasect.

"Just when it looked like it was up for Steven's Magneton he shoots back with a Hidden Power Fire that sends his opponent's Parasect _tumbling_ back!" Theodore exclaimed in his enthused grin as he gripped his free left fist.

"Hmph!" the doppelganger grunted out as he threw forth a second Poké Ball, exploding forth. A Normal Type Tauros soon stood on the opposite side, eyes narrowed threateningly as it tested the ground with its hooves. Steven narrowed his own eyes forward back at his enemy Pokémon.

He wasn't sure what this one could do though he had a vague idea.

Better be safe.

"Maelstrom; use Magnet Ri-"

"Earthquake." the folded armed clone shot over in a glare of his own. His Tauros below roared as it leapt up and smashed its hooves into the ground. Roughly it spit the ground up and Steven gasped in horror as he watched his Magneton buzz out loudly again though this time for the last time.

It fell to the ground in a pained clang as its eyes crossed out and fainted.

"Damn!" Steven cursed out in a narrow eyed hiss as he turned his eyes up to watch the satisfied grin on the watching and similarly dressed boy.

"What's wrong Steven." the watching opponent grinned back as he folded his arms. "Not got the _stomach_ for it?" he asked in his low chuckling grin. Steven glared on back wordlessly though recovered his fallen Magneton with an initial frown before smiling down at his Poké Ball.

"I'm sorry Maelstrom; I should have seen that coming. You did well." he whispered before frowning again as he belted his fallen Pokémon and as he did, the huge television behind him gave a loud buzzing sound as one of the red lights indicating his Pokémon died out, similarly to his opponent's. The Pallet bound boy fished through his Poké Balls and finally finding his choice, he grinned forward as he chucked forth his next Pokémon.

As before it exploded forth in a dazzle of white energy, forming this time into his reliable though slow and lumbering Snorlax, breathing deeply as it lay face up snoring away at the blue sky above it. Steven smirked confidently as he caught the Poké Ball in mid-air as it flew back to his hands.

"Now with two Normal Types on the field both opponents can only remain in a heart stopping frenzy as to what moves will be played! Keep watching ladies and gentleman; this is going to be fierce!" Theodore grinned forward.

"You _said_ it T.! That Tauros hits hard and we've all yet to see what_ that_ sleeping monstrosity can do!" the ever exuberant DJ Pep yelled out in his high pitched, excited tone.

"Hit him fast and hard; Double Edge." the ever calm doppelganger grinned out forward in his folded armed expression. The Tauros roared out as it suddenly shot forward in a narrow eyed charge, kicking up the ruined ground below itself. The sleeping Snorlax soothingly lazed away in its snoring sleep, seemingly uncaringly. The watching Steven only smirked back wordlessly as he watched. Some of the watching audience screamed for the boy to pay attention to the battle but he didn't seem to listen, instead grinning on as he watched.

"He better know what he's doing…" Misty murmured out as she watched from the western side of the audience, her aqua eyes narrowed forward.

"Don't worry; I've seen that expression on his face before." Bill frowned out as he folded his arms from his own seat next to her, raised up in his usual perfect posture. She blinked up at him. "He has some kind of countering plan that he's sure will wreck that Tauros,"

"Y-Yes…"

Misty and Bill turned to their right to find the smiling and blushing Red watching from her own seat.

"H-His mind… I c-can…" she began in her smile. Her two companions blinked as they listened however she left the sentence open.

"You can… what?" Misty questioned as she blinked wonderingly however before she could receive a reply, the audience behind her screamed their approval for something and she cringed as she realised it was about the battle.

The slumbering Snorlax flailed its small limbs around as it stared up wide eyed, struck by the growling Tauros' charging Double Edge. "And a _painful_ shot from the Green Corner's Tauros; poor Snorlax is actually cringing from the assault!" Theodore's voice exclaimed through the speakers.

"Word up T.!"

"Now let's see a _Counter!_" the ever grinning Steven finally responded as he rose up his clenched fists together. His watching clone widened his eyes beneath his cap as he saw the force of his Double Edge attack be shot back in an invisible explosion, sending the roaring Tauros shut eyed and careering through the air. It tumbled across the ground and rolled as it crashed into the green podium its Trainer stood on, eliciting another cheering roar from the watching audience. Steven grinned as he raised his two fingers and a thumb to his head in a salute as the television behind him sounded off another green light of his opponent's remaining Pokémon.

"Incredible!" the grinning Theodore Kent yelled out as he gripped his microphone with both hands. "With Snorlax's huge Hit Point statistic Steven was assured it would be able to hold even a _Critical Hit_ from his opponent's Pokémon and using Snorlax's slower speed to his advantage he used the lower priority move Counter to use Snoralax's _monstrous_ Attack statistic to deal a crushing blow to his enemy!"

"This kid's one to watch out for Thee!" Pep grinned with his co-commentator.

"Hrm…" the watching, red capped pretender frowned out as he watched. Finally he rose up his Tauros' Poké Ball and recovered the fallen Normal Type before glaring on forward. "Interesting…" he murmured and Steven raised a curious eyebrow.

"What is?" he called back.

"You are." the previously murmuring Trainer shot back in his own call, grinning as before. "You've come a long way from Pallet," he claimed in his deep tone and Steven's red eyes narrowed in a veritably surprised gasp.

"What do you mean? Who are you?"

"I'll tell you…" the similarly dressed man smirked before rising up another Poké Ball; his final one. "If you can beat _this!_" he finally exclaimed as he threw forth the sphere, exploding forward. Steven's eyes narrowed.

The white energy formed into a glaring and fiery tailed Charizard, threateningly glaring over at its enemy.

That's right; the old Charmeleon!

Steven smirked confidently as he shot a finger forward. "Go for a Thunderpunch!" he yelled out and the Normal Type rolled its eyes though obeyed its Trainer's instructions regardless; it shot up with surprising speed and leapt with a lightning fist. However the Charizard was too quick and smirked as it side stepped hovering into the air with a flap of its mighty wings.

"Seismic Toss!" the Charizard's Trainer exclaimed out deeply and after being ordered, the Fire and Flying dual Type grinned as it grabbed the lumbering leviathan's arm before flying on up. Surprisingly it seemed to have no trouble in lifting the huge Normal Type and it began to spin around in a corkscrew like fashion, soon becoming a blur to the watching audience.

"No Caesar!" Steven yelled out as he watched in widened, red eyes but it was much too late; the Charizard grinned open mouthed as it spun around a final time before turning its body downward and tossing the grunting Snorlax down, crashing into the ground with a rough spit up of rocks and dust. The very earth itself trembled and Steven grunted in accordance with his pained Pokémon as he rose up his arms to block the dust from affecting his eyes, the watching audience complying with him.

Finally the dust died down and as the grinning Charizard lowered itself to the ground, Steven was able to lower his own eyes to view the damage. His Snorlax lay in the ground, face down and presumably fainted. He growled on as he rose up his Poké Ball to recover the fallen warrior.

"With a debilitating Seismic Toss, the mystery man has managed to even the score between the two Battlers! A smart move!" Theodore smiled as he watched.

Steven glared on forward as he fingered his last Poké Ball; he hadn't even managed to get his Rain Dancing strategy in yet but maybe with this…

He narrowed his eyes as he grunted and tossed forth his next Poké Ball. It exploded open as the rest of its kind and sent the white energy to form below into a low bent creature with a rocky, prehistoric form. Like his new Pokémon, Steven narrowed his red eyes and bent in a fighting stance, holding his arms up like his Pokémon's sickle arms. The audience screamed in a cheer as they viewed the prehistoric Pokémon, clearly taken by surprise and Misty smiled as she watched.

"That's the way." she whispered.

Theodore grinned as he gripped at his microphone, sitting up in his seat excitedly as he did so. "And Steven responds with a _Kabutops!_ Thought to be extinct, Kabutops' abilities are thus unknown to the general population; Steven has taken us by surprise once more as we expected to see his usual Aerodactyl!" he exclaimed in accordance with the screaming audience.

"A Kabutops…" the watching doppelganger frowned out as he glared on. Steven glared on back wordlessly, still in his fighting stance. "You think you have me beat?" he asked over in a growing grin. Steven only watched in his continuous, wordless black look. The clone smirked in a chuckle, his body trembling lightly as he did. "Try me!"

"Kabutops; Aqua Jet!" Steven yelled out suddenly and the Rock and Water dual Type shot on like a bullet, the water splashing at its ankles as it did. The audience roared with it as they watched in presumed knowing of the Charizard's defeat however even as the flying Charizard flew into the air and avoided the attack, some of the droplets of water splashed on it and it growled out in pain as it was. "Damn!" Steven grunted out as he turned his eyes up to the flying Fire Type, eyes glaring in accordance with his own Pokémon.

* * *

"Now; Solarbeam!" the grinning doppelganger exclaimed and as the Charizard began to charge in energy via the sun, Steven's red eyes widened.

"You can't let it hit Steve!" Misty's yell shot over and he blinked in a gasp. "If that hits you're finished!"

"Rain Dance!" the red capped boy exclaimed forward and sure enough as he ordered the rain began to quickly lash down with his Kabutops' dance. The Charizard grunted in the air from its strain of effort as it attempted to rein in the energy and hindered by the rain it growled on angrily as it glared down at the similar faced Kabutops. Finally however it finished the charging and roared it shot the green Solarbeam from its mouth, eyes narrowed. "Double Team!" Steven exclaimed and sure enough, the Kabutops quickly copied itself and with its now incredible speed it dashed around the rain and easily evaded the blasting beam of Grass Type energy.

The watching mystery man grunted as he raised his arms to block the blast's ricocheting dust from his eyes, narrowing his eyes through the lashing rain to find his opponent grinning back. "What are you…" he murmured in his glaring thoughts.

"Bring it out of the air! Smack Down!" the grinning boy yelled out as he stuck a finger forward. His super quick Kabutops reappeared and glared up at the flying Charizard, the unwary Fire and Flying Type darting its eyes around for its opponent. It didn't see its glaring foe slice through the air and shoot a pellet of rocks at it. When the rocks came within attacking distance the Charizard finally snapped its head around and gasped though by then it was too late and the attack struck the wide eyed Pokémon.

"No!" the watching mystery man yelled out as he shot his body forward to grip the railing ahead of him, his head held high and scowling.

The grunting Charizard, hit by a painful Supereffective attack shut its eyes in its own scowl as it dropped down involuntarily and helplessly, its defences open. "Now; for the final attack!" Steven grinned as he shot a fist into the air exuberantly. "_Aqua Jet!_" he yelled out along with his approving crowd around him. The Kabutops narrowed its eyes and shot with amazing speed, the water behind it kicking up with force unlike seen before. The wide eyed Charizard gasped as it turned its eyes to its left only to find its glaring foe smashing into it with a shoulder barging charge coated in water.

The Charizard roared out in a shut eyed, scowling force of pain as it was sent flying back, tumbling across in the rain. The watching audience widened their eyes along with the silent thus far commentators and even the experienced mystery man grit his teeth as he watched his Pokémon roll across the floor. Even as Steven's narrow eyed Kabutops skid to a stop, the grunting Charizard shakily began to rise itself to its feet, bruised and battered.

The area stopped in a death silence as they watched, waiting for the outcome on the edge of its seat before finally the growling Charizard gave its last roar as it dropped to the ground face down, its large wings dropping with it. As the dropping Charizard's body hit the ground, the ground below it seemed to tremble in an echo and with it the watching audience before finally the huge television screen behind the wide eyed Steven gave off its final buzz to signify the mystery man's loss.

As the rain slowly began to let up, the audience screamed their hardest yet.

_RED SIDE; VICTORY_

_WINNER; STEVEN MURRAY_

_CONGRATULATIONS_

_**4**_

Steven screamed with the crowd in a yelling whoop as he grinned outwardly, striking the air with his fist. He leapt over his red podium and laughed as he landed, running towards the glaring Kabutops. Crashing into the Rock and Water Pokémon he laughed continually as he embraced the glaring creature, wrapping his arms around it in excited glory and delight. The watching mystery man frowned as he watched from his podium, eyes lightly narrowed as the audience turned their cheering into an echoing chant for the boy's name. He chuckled in a low smile as he rose up his Poké Ball to call back the fallen Charizard.

"Amazing!" Theodore exclaimed above the roaring din as he grinned on. "Although with an initial Type advantage over his opponent, Steven overcame his foe's one shot Solarbeam and managed to expertly counterattack with the Rock Type's move Smack Down before finishing with an unblockable Aqua Jet!"

"Aaand with that the kid's moved into the _Finaaaaals!_" DJ Pep added on in a grinning yell as the audience screamed even harder with the excited commentator.

"That's_ right_ folks! It looks as if we have a classic David and Goliath story here and you heard it first from the PBA; the Pokémon Battle Association sponsored by the Indigo Conference League! When we come back we'll be explaining the Tournament's events thus far with our representative from the Hoenn region; Mr. Aulcus! Don't go away!" Theodore Kent grinned through his microphone as he thrust a finger forward at the camera ahead of him.

"May you be ever favourable in victory!" his ever grinning sidekick leapt in with his trademark sunglasses and teenager-y look.

The mystery man gave a shake of his head and a low chuckle as he turned and moved down with the elevator below him. He turned around in his walk and advanced slowly on his formerly laughing opponent joined only by his glaring Kabutops and his three other companions; a red haired ex Gym Leader, the famous William Rivers and an unnamed red haired girl that grinned on with the group.

"Greetings," the jeans and jacket dressed man smiled as he stood before the group, eliciting the laughing Steven to frown out of his laughter in a wondering frown. The group turned to face him and Steven nodded as he stepped forth frowning as he stopped just short of the young man ahead of him.

"You're him aren't you…?" Steven murmured out as he glared his eyes forward. "You're the imposter from Cerulean that pretended to be me,"

The man nodded in his smile. "Correct,"

"But who are you really? And why did you try to frame me for everything you did?" Steven requested in a narrow eyed glare. The man didn't respond for a while and instead smiled on as he raised his head to take off his red cap to reveal an old and crinkly expressed face. Steven, Misty and Bill gasped as they saw him.

"Professor Oak?!" Misty exclaimed in her shocked, open mouthed frown.

"Old man Oak?!" Steven repeated in his wide eyed blink, teeth grit as he cringed. Sure enough it was the man himself; Ross' green eyes and greyed out short hair with an old complexion.

"Correct again," he nodded in his light smile.

"I don't understand…" Steven murmured as he shook his head in disbelief. "Why'd you do it all? Why go to the trouble of entering the Tournament and constantly hounding me?"

"When we first met in Pallet I doubted you from day one." the old man began as he now frowned in his serious though calm expression. "You had neither Kimberley's intuition nor Ross' skill and I could never deem you worthy of the Pokédex." he continued and Steven groaned as he listened, one of his eyes narrowing as he did so. "So I dressed as you and framed you for multiple crimes such as the burning in Cerulean and the attack of the Charmeleon. I wanted you to be stripped of your recognition as a Trainer as I could hardly go back on our agreement in Viridian; not officially anyway,"

"But that's…" Misty began in a cringing frown.

He nodded in a sigh. "Yes I know; it was incredibly wrong of me and I see that now if only doubled. I meant what I said when you'd improved," he finished in a light grin as he turned his head to face the blinking boy in question. The cogs worked in his mind before he slowly chuckled and grinned back, winking as he edged a thumb to his face.

"I _have_ been training ya know," he shot back in his grin. Misty and Bill laughed as they watched, the silent Red smiling with them. Professor Oak chuckled lowly as he watched.

"At any rate I apologise sincerely for all the trouble I've put you and your companions through." the old man began as he rose up his right arm to be shaken and Steven blinked, taken off guard. "I now deem you worthy of the Pokédex." he started in his low voiced smile, eliciting a similar smile of Steven's as he rose up his arm to shake his opponent's. "Good luck in the Finals,"

Steven laughed lowly and disbelievingly though nodded in his genuine smile as he shook the man's hand. "Thanks Professor." he finished out in his smile and as he did the audience around him screamed their approval once again.

"_Broooo!_"

The grown group turned their heads around to their sides – Steven to his left and Oak to his right respectively – to find a rushing trio smash into him with a debilitating hug. Steven's eyes widened as he was taken off guard, holding up an older boy laughing away in his arms. Finally however he let go and the reeling boy was given show to the smiling Kimberley and grinning Kevin, a hand raised up in greeting. A similarly smiling faced Tom stood next to them, dressed up in his Gentleman's garb. "Yo!" Kevin shot over in his greeting.

Steven, Misty, Bill and Red all smiled openly, the initial three laughing back as they responded. "We didn't think you'd ever be here!" the red capped boy began as he grinned back.

"Well ya know; the CEO's got it in for Kev." Kimberley began in her grin as she edged a thumb to the similarly grinning Renegade in question. "But we met up with this guy and he said he knew you guys so," she finished in a smile as she introduced the nodding Sinnoh native, standing with his cane. He tipped his hat up and smiled in greeting at the group.

"Afternoon." he smiled. Steven laughed as he rose up his arm clenched fist, the smiling Tom rising up his own clenched fist to bump with.

"We've been watchin' your battles!" Kevin began as he grinned and folded his arms before leaning in and rubbing his clenched fist into the laughing Steven's uncapped hair in a show of brotherly affection. "Knew you'd reach the Finals!"

"We were thinking of going to celebrate your win in the Indigo Plateau city!" Kimberley smiled as she raised her arms up.

"That actually sounds really good." Misty admitted as she smiled back. "It's been pretty stressful worrying all this time," she chuckled and Bill laughed.

"Hey it could be worse!" the Administrator shot back.

"I know a nice place we can relax in!" Tom began in as he smiled, hands joining his cane. "I've been looking!"

"Sounds awesome!" Steven grinned back from his companion's friendly assault before turning his head. "Grandpa Oak! You wanna come t-" he began as he turned his head around in a grin however frowned in a blink as he saw only the far off figure of Professor Oak in the distance, walking off back into the Green Corner's challenger's hall.

Even as Steven's far off voice called him, Professor Samuel Oak smirked as he walked down the hall in his shut eyed expression. The audience's deafening cheers soon were quietened to a dull roar as he walked deeper into the hall.

"_My grandson and my new protégé."_ he began in his smirking thoughts before he stopped half way and turned his head around to watch the laughing red capped boy with his companions. He chuckled in a low toned voice, sniffing as a single tear fell from his eyes. "I now leave the future… to you." the old man finished, his voice echoing softly in the challenger's hall.

_A/N: DAWWWW POOR OLD MAN OAK_

_Also Merry Christmas to you lazy bastards; hope you enjoyed._


	34. Engame: Road's End - A Champion is Born!

**Chapter 34; Endgame: Road's End; A Champion is Born!**

_ICL League Arc – The Droika Cup_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any of its merchandise. **

_**Featured Music: "Game Explanation" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Chapter Briefing._

_** "Pokémon Theme (Instrumental); Red, Green and Blue's Main Theme – Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**2**__. (First Half)_

_** "Encounter! Rival Hugh" – Pokémon Black and White 2 OST. **__Scene __**2**__ (Second Half)_

"_**Kodoku na Kokoro" – Rozen Maiden OST. **__Scene __**3. **__(First Half)_

"_**Mew's Theme" – Pokémon the First Movie OST. **__Scene __**3 **__(Second Half)_

"_**Main Theme (Instrumental)"; Pokémon Red, Green and Blue: Road of a Champion's Main Theme – Pokémon Anime OST. **__Scene __**4**__. _

_** "Final Battle" – Pokémon Colosseum OST. **__Scene __**5**__._

_** Chapter Boss Battle.**_

_** "Ending Theme" – Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green OST. **__Epilogue._

_Steven wins his Semi Final Battle splendidly and finally moves onto the crux of his challenge and the ending of his very story; the Indigo Plateau's Championship match! With everything he has learned from his previous opponents, he steels his very nerves for what he believes will be his greatest battle._

_From Brock's easy going personality…_

_Misty's level headed decision making…_

_Lieutenant Surge's brash strength…_

_Erika's gracefulness…_

_Brinca's expectations…_

_Sabrina's similar drive…_

_Blaine's determination and will…_

_And Giovanni's battling aptitude, Steven takes every battle he has won or lost to this point and melds all the skills he has gained from his battles with these strong trainers to prepare him for what is next._

_The Road of Kanto's Champion begins here._

_**Scene 1**_

It had been only a few days since his semi-final battle at the Indigo Conference League's last showing in Steven's victory. It had been revealed that the imposter that had hounded the red capped young boy was actually none other than Professor Samuel Oak, for reasons of his own.

After finally handing down inheritance to the boy and his grandson Ross, Professor Oak finally took a back seat and watched from the side lines. Now with some free time to himself, Steven took some time out of his late minute training to visit the bedded Danielle in the ICL's hospital unit for accidents.

The boy smiled as he knocked on her door and let himself in, the door opening with a soft click as the similar faced Bill and Misty stood behind at his sides. "Hey," Steven greeted in his light smile as he walked over to the young woman's bedside. Danielle raised her head up in a pained blink as she frowned at the intrusion however soon turned her inquisitive frown into a grateful smile.

"Hi… guys." the girl smiled weakly back before coughing softly, her voice ragged presumably due to her condition. "I heard you won your battle," she began as she turned her head to her right to find the red capped boy pulling a seat next to her. He grinned and raised his back fist up, clenched up as if to show his victory.

"With flying colours!" he shot back and she chuckled huskily, coughing weakly now and then as she did so. "How ya been feelin'?" the boy asked however as he frowned back at her, lowering his hands to his legs.

"I been better." she chuckled again in her low toned grin. "Could be worse though; I appreciate what you did for me,"

"Hey it's cool." Steven smiled back as he shook his head of the matter. "You're a bro to me! Gotta be there for the bros!" he added on as he grinned in rising up his left clenched fist towards her for an obvious fist bump. Danielle chuckled again as she weakly returned the gesture.

"I appreciate it." she responded simply in her smile. "I appreciate it all guys, really," she added on as she turned her smile over to the watching Bill at her bed's end and Misty on her left. They both smiled back and nodded regardless.

"You _are_ our friend you know," Misty responded in a-matter-of-factly tone, grinning lightly as she did so.

"Yeah! So you better get used to it!" Bill shot in with a similar grin as he gave her a point of his index finger before joining the rest of his hand with his folded armed pose. Danielle laughed, shutting her eyes as she did so.

"Don't ever let them go Steve…" Danielle began as she turned her bruised face to the young red capped boy's in question. He blinked in an initially curious expression as she continued. "They're good friends and you are too," she added on and the boy grinned on back in a nod.

"The feelin's mutual!" he exclaimed back as he raised his fist to be bumped with again. She chuckled though complied and he blinked in a surprised gasp before he turned and took his yellow back pack off. He turned the back pack around and placed it below his seat, quickly diving his head down to rifle through. Danielle blinked similarly as she watched.

"Did you… forget something?"

"Almost!" he shot back before he finished his rummaging and yanked out a small trophy. He grinned back at her as he did so. "Here; this is for you!" the Trainer added in his ever confident grin as he pushed the trophy closer to her in the air. Danielle blinked again softly as she allowed the creation room in her weak palms, lowering her eyes to look it over.

It was designed on a stand of a Poké Ball, two stars like entities of some sort flying around the Poké Ball's sides from the bottom. It was bronze in colour.

"You were so injured that you couldn't have time to accept third prize's trophy… so I got it for ya," Steven's smiling voice interrupted as she stared down at it. She sniffed and shut her eyes as she raised it up to hand it back to the blinking boy.

"I don't deserve thi-"

"Yes you do!" the red capped boy yelled back suddenly as he shot forward in his chair. Misty and Bill cringed as they watched, the ever aggressive boy worrying them. "You_ earned_ that trophy; you _and_ your Pokémon!"

The young girl blinked in response before turning her eyes down and cringing as she did so. "But I…"

"You're a good Battler." Steven interrupted as he pulled himself back to sit upright on the chair, glaring forward but in a much calmer tone than before. He rested his hand on his front legs as he did so. "You pushed me to defeat once and I didn't hold back either; you _do_ deserve that trophy," he added on in a low toned grin as he raised up one of his thumbs, eliciting an initial frowning blink from the girl. She turned it into a slow smile however and warily nodded.

"Thank you…" Danielle smiled back, bringing the positive energy back in the room. Bill and Misty exchanged light smiles of their own as they watched. "There's something about you." she began however and grinned on as she turned her head to the side. Steven followed suit in a light, inquisitive blink. "Something that sets you apart… maybe your… personality?" she asked in a light chuckle as she watched him.

He rubbed the back of his head in a nervous smile of his own as he responded. "Well I know I'm a good _Battler_ but…"

"You're right; I'm probably just a little dizzy from the medication." Danielle smiled, chuckling as she did so. Steven opened his mouth to retort but she continued on regardless. "So your finals match is today huh…"

He blinked before nodding a frown. "Yeah,"

"Think you can win?" she asked and raised an eyebrow as she did so. "Your opponent's Ross after all,"

Steven gained a slow grin as she spoke before finally opening his mouth to respond. "I _know_ I can." he began before turning his grin stronger. "I fought Ross before and I know how strong he is,"

Danielle gained a light grin of her own as she rested her head back on the pillow, staring at him lazily through her eyes. "That's good…" she began. "I'll be watching you know." she added in her grin as she gestured to the attached television up on her left side behind her. Steven blinked before raising his head up to find it; sure enough it was attached and on. The reporter that watched over the events of the knockout Tournament stood smiling on the television's screen as she spoke through her microphone, inaudible audio and on the bottom was a banner of red and in white letters was thus.

_FINALS TODAY; A PALLET STORY_

A slow grin formed on the red capped boy's face as he stared up at those words.

Maybe it was the calm before the storm but he couldn't _wait_ to be in that ring.

"Listen, Steve." Danielle's voice interrupted and Steven blinked before turning his head down to meet the young girl's face. She grinned back at him as she sat up and raised up one of her clenched fists. He blinked down at it initially before she explained. "I'm holding you to your word; I can't Battle anymore in the Tournament but you can. So win this for me." she began in her grin and Steven raised his eyebrows as he frowned back. She opened her mouth in her grin as she chuckled. "And don't even _think _about holding back either; give him the same respect you gave me,"

Steven's own grin soon followed as he stared back before he nodded and raised his own clenched fist to bump with hers. "You got it."

_**2**_

"We're here with Elite Four leader and previous Champion of the Indigo Conference League and the Pokémon Battle Association Champion Lancelot Droika!" the reporter smiled as she spoke into the microphone she held, the camera held on her. The man next to her – a flame haired man, his hair standing on end as if electrified – frowned hard as he folded his arms forward. He wore a long cape and a battle tunic as if to show off his very strength. "Mr. Droika, how do you see the finals of today playing out and what's your opinion on our finalists?" she asked in an amiable smile as she raised and hovered the microphone to his mouth.

The flame haired man frowned on as he shut his golden eyes coolly, opening his mouth to speak. "They've proven themselves against every opponent they've faced thus far. Ross Oak has shown the inheritance of his Battling clan and for that I am no less proud of him than I was of his grandfather,"

"And what about his challenger? The one everyone is saying is his rival?"

"The red capped boy…" Lancelot began in a murmuring frown before he turned his head around to find the indoor huge LCD television's screen showing off two pictures of faces.

On the left side was the grinning red capped boy's face in question, his head held a little lowly as he seemingly stared at the picture on his right. Staring back on the right was the scowling face of Ross Oak; green eyes narrowed and faced set forward as he glared back at his grinning red capped rival.

"He's…" the young man began as he glared back at the grinning face of the red eyed boy. "Different. Frankly I didn't expect him to advance so far and though it's certain he's had luck on his side…"

"Yes?"

"There's something else about him, something that sets him apart from Ross. As if it's his very… counter; his weak point," the caped man explained in his narrow eyed frown.

"Wow…" the reporter murmured out before smiling and hovering the microphone to his mouth once more. "Could you explain that a little more?"

"No," he shot back as he glared and snapped his head 'round as he did so. She flinched though kept the smile on her face.

"Ahh… very well…" she chuckled before smiling on as she continued. "If you had _any_ choice between them… which would you choose as the winner of today's finals?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment and even took to turning his head to glare at the two trainers' still pictures before finally answering. But as he did, he swished his cape around as he shut his eyes in a light scowl, walking off as he did so. "Wait… and find out," he simply answered before walking off and leaving the woman standing in a poker faced smile. She stood for a few moments before laughing nervously as she turned to face the camera.

"And there you have it; a word from our Champion and sponsor of the Pokémon Battling Association! May you be ever favourable in victory!" the woman smiled as she bowed respectfully.

* * *

"_Woo! Good morning Kanto and Johto! Can you feel the _noise?!" DJ Pep screamed out via his microphone as he stood on his chair and the small table provided forward for him, terribly enthusiastic. The watching audience indoors of the large stadium cheered on in response for him.

"Good morning Kanto-nians and Johto-nians; it's your ever commentating pair, former Battler and word commentator Theodore Kent and his partner in crime, DJ Pep!" the well-dressed man in contrast claimed through his own microphone in a smile of his own. "If you're just joining us today at home then don't you worry; the main event has not yet started!" the man grinned lightly as he pointed directly at the camera ahead of him.

"It's comin' though!" Pep grinned in as he lowered his head next to his commentating partner. "And you better _believe_ it's gonna be one of the _biggest _finals _ever!_" the young man finished out in another enthusiastic exclamation, the audience screaming with him.

"Right you are Pep; a true David and Goliath story of rivalry!" the man began as he gestured forth with his hands. "Ross Oak and Steven Murray; both young boys from rural Pallet Town have both managed to beat the odds of _every_ challenger that's come their way, whether it be through luck, inventiveness or sheer power and skill they're finally here _right now_ at the _finals!_" the man grinned on as he spoke.

"_Yeeeeah!_" DJ Pep screamed out, ever in exuberance.

"Settle down Pep." Theodore chuckled next to the young man as he smiled before turning to grin back at the camera. "With both impressive records between them, Ross and Steven are favourites to win this year but in terms of comparing Ross is the better; no losses and only a single Pokémon knocked out in the competition." he began in his light grin, some of the audience screaming for the green eyed boy. "Steven on the other hand has shown _remarkable_ versatility in his strategies; even using the same _Pokémon_ hasn't stopped him in his tracks,"

"Come _ooon!_ I wanna see the _Battle!_" Pep screamed out in his grinning finish.

Theodore chuckled again as he continued. "Both of these boys deserve to be Champion in _my_ eyes but unfortunately as per the rules they must battle it out to determine the winner!"

"Yeah!" DJ Pep exclaimed as he lowered his body to grin in with the man next to him. "Tell 'em Thee!"

"That's right; the new rules!" the similar faced Theodore began in his seat as he explained. "In spite of the last Battles that have _raged_ on in the Tournament, this one will be conducted differently! Both opponents now use their full six on six teams of their own choice with the obvious clause rules in place," he added on in a light, knowing grin.

Pep grinned in a nod. "You got it Thee!"

"Level difference are also thus hereby allowed; no more Flat Battling for our opponents! And finally as per the ICL's tradition, the Finals are battled indoors!"

"This is gonna be _awesoooooome!_" DJ Pep yelled out in his microphone, the audience screaming with him. Theodore chuckled before turning a light smile on the camera.

"We hope you enjoy the show!" he exclaimed and the watching audience yelled with him.

_**3**_

Steven stood in front of a mirror in the locker room, red eyes narrowed forward at himself. Every battle he had ever taken part in flashed before his eyes and he saw his victory over Kanto's strongest Trainers; the Gym Leaders. His stare narrowed even further and he glared as the memory of Giovanni came back to him.

His fingerless gloved hand clenched tightly and quietly on his side as he did so.

Ross may not have been the biggest challenge he had ever faced but he was a stepping stone to it.

Steven turned his frown into a light grin as he stared back.

Weird; he thought he'd be feeling nervous but no, not even a little.

He was ready; he was finally ready to achieve his dream and become Kanto Champion.

When the smiling forms of his two friends, Misty and Bill were reflected back in the mirror behind him Steven blinked before snapping his head 'round. He smiled back as he turned to face them, walking towards. Bill placed a reassuring hand on the boy's jacketed shoulder and he smiled down as he did so.

"You've earned this; I'll be pullin' for ya kid." the analyst grinned lightly as he nodded. Steven returned the nod and grinned on silently as he softly back hand punched the man on his chest in a brotherly show of affection. "Thanks… for everything." he added on in a light grin.

"Steve." Misty's voice interrupted. The named boy turned his head around to face the green eyed tomboy and she smiled at him softly. "No matter what happens today, I'll always be there for you." she spoke and the boy frowned on in initial wonder before a light blush adorned his cheeks as he turned his eyes down from her gaze, lightly smiling as he did so. "Well I mean… we of course," the green eyed girl added on in a nervous sounding chuckle as she turned to face the folded armed and grinning Bill.

"Yeah; 'we'." he shot back in a knowing chuckle. Misty punched him in the arm though couldn't seemingly help from grinning back. He laughed and Steven smiled up at the pair.

"I appreciate everything." the boy began as he turned his red eyes over the smiling pair, their eyes turning to meet his. "You put up with so much and even now…" he added on as he laughed lightly before grinning on as he raised a clenched fist. "I'm gonna win this Championship and when I do it's not gonna be because of me; it's you guys." Steven began as he grinned and sniffed, turning his arm and eyes down; the surface of his red orbs becoming clear and teary. He grinned in a laugh however as he raised up his head and yanked in the wide eyed pair for a double hug. "Thank you." the young Trainer whispered as he shut his eyes in his light grin. "Thank you both so much,"

Misty and Bill exchanged a light smile of their own before wrapping their own arms around the boy softly. "Anytime." Misty replied in a whisper of her own as she smiled in the embrace. Bill grinned as he let go of the hug however and slapped the boy on his back in a brother like fashion.

"You better get going now or you'll be late!" he exclaimed and Steven laughed lightly as he wiped at his eyes. With another grin on his face however, he set his cap on straight and nodded to the pair.

"Where's Red? I wanted to see her before the Battle," the boy asked and the watching two blinked.

"Sorry Steve; I haven't seen her recently. She took a wander into the Plateau village and hasn't come back since," Misty answered. Steven smiled as he shook his head of the matter.

"It's cool; I'll meet her after the match." the red capped boy nodded before turning and running off for the challenger's hall. He turned his head around and grinned at his smiling friends as he waved them off. "And when I do, I'll be Champion! Just you wait!" he yelled down the hall and the pair chuckled as they watched.

* * *

The red capped boy grinned on before he gasped and skid to stop as he turned his head around. A figure in the darkness stood, leant against the wall. From its shape it appeared to be a woman and Steven blinked on as he watched, squinting forward. "Who is that? This is the challenger's hall; no one's allowed in here but-" he began in a disapproving frown however he gasped in sudden recognition as the dark figure stood up. "Red…? Is that _you?_" he asked in a wide eyed frown.

Sure enough the woman walked into the light and there she was; the smiling Red.

Even now she looked like the double of Misty.

He often wondered why that was.

"Red…" the boy smiled in a light laugh. He walked in close for a hug and smiled as he did so. "I wanted to thank you for being there for me; especially on Route Seventeen-" he began, however the smiling red head raised up a slender finger to his lips, as if to stop him in his tracks. He blinked on. "Red? What are you-?"

She spoke not, as expected and only smiled as she raised her fingers to encompass his head softly. His eyes snapped around to her fingers, as if they were intruders and she leaned in forward. The boy's eyes widened in a light gasp as he jerked back but she held him in place with surprising strength. As he feared, she meshed lips with his and shut her eyes as she did so. The boy stood frozen in place, his arms sent to his sides as he blinked continually before finally and suddenly his head was flooded with images.

_A young woman a little older than he; long, glittering red hair and bandaged arms._

"_M-Misty?" he gasped out in widened red eyes however he grunted suddenly and snapped his head downward, his arms gripping on a wound on his lower abdomen to the side._

"_N-No." he murmured in narrowed eyes before frowning softly and raising his head to mix his own eyesight with the frowning woman. "You're… not."_

He gasped in wide eyed surprise as she let go, his body jerking back. As the two recovered from their kiss, Steven wiped his mouth and stared back at the smiling young woman in a kind of half shocked expression. "You…" he gasped out. "It _can't_ be you…"

She merely nodded in her light smile slowly, her hands joined forward.

"I don't believe it… this entire time you've been…" the boy whispered out as he stared back at her, dumbfounded and almost disbelieving. The red haired woman nodded mutely in her smile. Steven gained a slow smile of his own as he stood up straight, his confidence restored. "Thank you… for that day, years ago. And for Route Seventeen as well." he smiled on as he stood to her straight and honest. "I promise I won't tell." the boy added on and Red nodded in a smile of her own as she raised a slender finger to her lips, as if to agree with him.

The red capped Trainer grinned as he yanked the red head in for a brotherly hug and he gave her a strong clap across the back as he did so before pulling her back and nodding.

"I'm gonna win this thing… and I'll prove what you gave me!" Steven finished as he raised a clenched fist up. Red grinned in a silent chuckle before she nodded, allowing the boy to leave. She even raised up her arms to gesture towards the light at the end of the challenger's hall, ushering him on. He grinned on as he turned to run, saluting her off as he did so.

Red stood in a light smile as she leant on the wall once more, an arm laying on one of her others as she watched the grinning boy run off, his shirt tails flapping in the wind. When his body was swallowed into the bright light, a corner of her mouth raised up as she smiled.

"Red Eyes… show them. Show them The Truth."

_**4**_

"Hello and _welcome_ to today's – and the ICL's – main event! The Indigo Conference League Competition's _Finaaaaals!_" Theodore exclaimed via his deep tone and through his microphone. Although unexpected from the commentator, the audience screamed on with him as the blinking DJ Pep sat next to him with a quizzical look. "What can I say; you've rubbed off on me," the older man grinned as he turned to shrug at the younger. He smirked back and nodded.

"Rock and roll!" he exclaimed, fist bumping his companion as he did so.

"If you're just joining us then welcome to today's Battle of the Century! The three year lapse is finally over and as you've been watching it's been a true David and Goliath story from our two competitors from Pallet Town; Ross Oak and Steven Murray!"

"That's right Thee; these kids are _no_ pushovers! With record like these kids it's no _surprise_ they've gotten so far!" Pep grinned in as he exclaimed through his microphone.

"They've simply_ breezed_ through the challenges that have been brought forth; a former Champion league Battler from Hoenn, a Major League Sinnoh Battler… it's truly amazing folks to see such skill at such young ages!" Theodore smiled on as he gestured with his hands, talking to the camera ahead of him as he set his microphone in the small stand on the table in front of him. "It really does warm my heart to see the future of our sport in these youngsters!"

"_Yeeeeah and here he comes!_" Pep screamed out all of a sudden as he turned his head and grinned open mouthed. Theodore blinked in surprise at his young companion's exclamation before smiling as he saw the grinning, red eyed boy run out of his side of the challenger's hall, the audience's screaming reaching a pitch higher for the Battler.

"Yup here's our Red Corner Battler; it's the Red Riot, Steven Murray!" Theodore introduced with a light grin as he turned his head to gesture forth. The named Trainer himself ran out of the challenger's hall and grinned similarly as he waved at the screaming crowd. As he did, a chant began echoing in the indoor hall of the boy's name and the cap wearing Battler laughed in his grin as he ran past the audience's lower stands, his hand raised up to high five the fans as he ran.

"Yeah Thee! The Red _Riot's _in town! Go, go!" Pep exclaimed exuberantly through his microphone, stimulating the crowd.

"Steven's gotten a sort of notoriety with his strange tactics where'd he'd surprise both his opponent _and_ the audience out of nowhere and win his matches. Thus the Red Riot!" Theodore finished his explanation in an exclaiming grin.

"Yeah! This kid pulls out so many tricks out of that hat of his it makes your head spin!" DJ Pep grinned as he stood up on the table to watch.

"Ho, ho don't I know it Pep!" Theodore replied in his own grin before continuing. "Steven's proven himself to be one of the top contenders on a hit and run strategy combined with a rare style that takes his opponent's by surprise and before they know what he's up to, they've lost!"

"Yeah it's _awesome_ Thee!" Pep exclaimed, ever excitable. "But that Ross kid ain't a slouch either!"

"Right you are Pep and in he comes now!" Theodore began as he grinned and turned his head around to watch the other side of the indoor hall to find the walking Ross himself. The crowd's chanting and even screaming soon came to a halt as he walked in, arms folded and scowling. The electric blue haired Elaine hung unto his arm on his side and she grinned alongside him, ever clinging to him.

Almost as if he _commanded_ the very silence itself. As his eyes slowly scanned across the indoor arena his green orbs finally stopped at the standing Steven and the two stared across each other, a couple of yards apart and off from the small raised arena platform. Ross stood in his folded armed scowl while his red eyed rival stood back in a tilted position of his body, diagonally placed as he glared back in straight standing frown.

"It's the Green Gladiator; Ross Oak ladies and gentleman!" Theodore introduced as he gestured his left arm forth in his grin. The purple shirt wearing Battler scowled on back as the crowd soon screamed their approval once again, roused to action. Steven took the first initiative however and stood up straight as he turned his frown into a smile, walking up the small steps to the large indoor stadium used for the battle. Ross stared in his suspicious scowl before he angrily shook the whispering Elaine off his shoulder, following his red eyed rival.

The two walked up on opposing sides, Steven on the red side and Ross on the green, Steven smiling and Ross glaring. Eventually they came to a stop just short of each other and stood for a long time just staring. Steven's smile did not falter even under the angry gaze of his green eyed rival. The competition's referee; the chubby man finally groaned as he stood up to walk on the stadium, walking over. He stopped in front of the two.

"Ross, Steven." the man greeted in his low toned frown. Ross glared on, his head unchanged from its position and Steven nodded as he stared back at his rival. "This match is gonna be played differently than your last ones. This is a full six on six, no restricted battle. The item clause and other rules are still in effect but it doesn't need to be said that there's no holding back in this one." he explained briefly before receiving nods on either side. "All right; shake each other's hands. Let's have a clean match; good luck gentleman." the referee frowned as he clapped his hands softly, before turning to walk off the stadium.

Steven smiled lightly as he raised his arm up first. "I know you've never liked me but you're one of my best friends Ross; for all our arguing and bickering I've always thought of you as a friend. What happened in the past… it happened and there's nothing I can say that'll make up for it." the boy began as he turned his smile into a hard frown as he stared forward, his arm still raised to be shook. Ross glared on as silent as the grave. "But that doesn't excuse what _you've_ been doing,"

"You're one to talk." the green eyed Gladiator spat suddenly in a glaring scowl. "The way you treated your Blastoise when it was just a Squirtle… you have _no_ right-"

"What's done is done." Steven replied back as firmly though in a calmer tone than his ever angry rival. His red eyes narrowed forward and Ross' scowl twitched lightly as he stared, his arms still folded. "I'm gonna beat you today." he added on in a slight upturn of his mouth into a grin, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the boy. "And when I do, you're finally gonna understand why your parents died years ago in Pallet,"

Ross' green eyes widened, veritably shocked. "My _parents?_" he hissed out as he leant forward, eyes narrowing in a growing scowl. "My parents died because life _targeted_ them that's why they died!" the Trainer yelled back as he unfolded his arms and chopped at the air as if for effect, clearly angry. Steven only grinned lightly back, his head tilted to the side as he did so. "You… you _know_ something don't you?" he gasped out in widened eyes, as if unable to believe whatever suspicions he thought of.

Steven's grin grew a little, as if to confirm them.

Ross stood in a paralysed, wide eyed frown as the audience screamed for the pair and the referee shouted over to shake hands a second time. Finally he broke out of it however and shook his rival's hand limply, still in a shocked expression as he stared on as if zombified. Finally however as the grinning Steven turned around to walk over to his side of the indoor stadium, Ross followed; going to his own green half.

"This looks to be a good one…" Professor Samuel Oak sighed in a light grin as he folded his arms and sank into his chair in the audience's stands.

"It certainly does," Bill replied to the elderly man with a light grin of his own as he sat next to the researcher. The Pokédex programmer turned his head around to his right to find the analyst himself with a similarly smiling Misty on his right.

"Oh; good afternoon." the elderly man greeted in his ever hard frown. Bill nodded his greeting in his grin while Misty waved. "You are… the young Steven's companions am I right?"

"You got it!" Bill grinned back.

"Been with him since day one," Misty chuckled in agreement, eliciting a similar laugh from the Administrator.

"I'll bet _that's_ been hair rising for you both," the researcher shot back as he grinned lightly back.

"It's had its ups and downs," Bill responded simply in his knowing grin, eliciting a laugh from the three.

"So who do you think's gonna win." Misty asked after the laughter as she frowned forward. The Professor blinked out of his grin and frowned back. "I realise that Ross is your grandson and all…"

"Ross is…" the elderly researcher began as he turned his folded armed frown over to the scowling boy in question on the battlefield. "Missing something that your companion has." he finished before turning his eyes over to the grinning red capped Trainer in question. The Pokémon Professor couldn't help but give a little grin of his own as he saw the grin on his face. "Ross is a great Battler with excellent skill, knowledge and prediction." he began again before shaking his head in his light grin. "But whatever that Steven boy has… that quality of his… it will counter Ross completely. Unless Ross can break down Steven like I hear he has before,"

"Then it'll be a battle of willpower." Bill replied as he narrowed his eyes in a frown forward. "If Steven even gives one inch to this guy, he's finished,"

The veteran and former battler nodded slowly in his own frown. "That's about the size of it,"

"But… surely he can do it?" Misty asked as she turned her aqua marine eyes over to the pair of men. "Steve's _already_ beat the odds before right?"

"That's true." Samuel Oak replied as he narrowed his eyes at the red capped boy. "I had heard he had influenced almost everyone he has met simply by meeting them. I had even heard that he had saved Sabrina Marsh and Gideon Blaine from their untimely fates." he began as he turned his frown into another light grin. "It could be that… he is the one,"

"The one?" Bill parroted in a wondering blink.

"Have you ever heard anyone call him… The Truth?"

Misty's eyes widened as she snapped her head over. "Yeah! An old woman called him that! Brinca I think was it…?"

"Yeah… she did," Bill murmured as he turned his eyes down in remembrance.

"But why? I don't understand what that means," Misty blinked on as she turned her head again to meet the elderly researcher's face.

A corner of Oak's mouth turned up in a knowing grin. "Wait. And you shall see." he finally finished out with, leaving the two friends mystified. The cryptically grinning Oak only stared on forward, his arms folded.

"Red Side; ready?" the chubby referee shot out with in a loud echo as he turned his head around to his right. The grinning Steven stood on his coloured side, nodding. "Green Side; ready?" he asked on as he turned his head to his left. Ross nodded in his hard breathing scowl, fingers twitching at his sides for his Poké Balls.

The referee finally shot his chubby arms down and yelled out as he did so; the grinning Steven and scowling Ross suddenly leapt to the left and right respectively, fingers on their Poké Balls.

"Begin!"

_**5**_

"And so we begin the finals with a _roaring_ applause and as expected, the two finalists begin with _Flying Type_ Pokémon!" Theodore yelled through his microphone as he narrowed his eyes forward. As the two rivals leapt in the sky, they threw their Poké Balls forward, exploding with white smoke. As the smoke cleared, the landed and leapt forward _into_ the very smoke itself, both landing on their Pokémon.

Ross' Pidgeot and Steven's Aerodactyl.

"_Woo! Yeah Aerodactyl!_" DJ Pep screeched out excitably as he grinned forth.

"I don't believe this folks; the two Battlers have _actually_ boarded their Pokémon! Let's hope this doesn't turn ugly!" Theodore exclaimed out in a worrying turn of his head and a frown to match.

Meanwhile the grinning Steven and the contrastingly scowling Ross flew forward and smashed their Pokémon together and as they passed, a light explosion sounded off between the two, bringing up smoke in the air. The audience screamed their approval as they watched, perhaps unable to believe it. As Steven's Aerodactyl turned in its recovery from its Double Edge attack, the Trainer himself grinned as he turned his Pokémon around to glare back at the scowling Ross, his Pidgeot turning similarly from its own Double Edge attack.

"The Level differences are _astronomical_ folks! Ross, ever the trainer himself, has Levelled his Pokémon to their maximum levels or as close as they can be whereas our Red Riot Steven is a little behind in terms of their Pokémon's Levels! He'll have to pull out another of his trademark surprises if he wants to win this one!" Theodore explained as he grinned forward.

"You can't win!" Ross yelled over above the deafening din of the audience. Steven grinned back. "You've never beat me so just give up! You can save yourself the humiliation of losing in front of the entire nation!" he shot over, his eyes narrowed in his scowl. Again, his red eyed rival grinned on, seemingly uncaring. Ross' scowl grew worse and he bugged out his eyes to widen as he continued. "_Fine! Then eat this!_" he began before thrusting a finger forward. "_BRAVE BIRD!_" the angry young boy screamed out deeply.

Steven momentarily lost his grin to narrow his eyes forward in concentration as he shot a finger of his own forward. "_Sky Attack!_"

The audience's screams grew a pitch higher as they heard the pair's orders, standing up from their seats in excitement. "I can't watch…!" Misty cringed as she shut her eyes and turned her head away from the battle.

"_Go Steve go!_" Bill yelled up as he clenched a fist back in a light scowl forward, staring up with the rest of the crowd. The zipping two shot into each other; blurs of rock grey and bright yellow and white. As they converged, the two elicited another explosion; this one much bigger than the last.

"I don't believe it…!" Theodore gasped out through his echoing microphone as he sat up with a narrow eyed scowl. Pep next to him remained gobsmacked and wide eyed as he stared with his partner. Finally however the suspense ended as the screeching Aerodactyl rolled down out of the air and out of the smoke cloud, its Trainer strapped to its back. Just as the commentators opened their mouths to comment on the proceedings, the scowling Ross fell from the smoke cloud, also strapped to his bruised and battered Pidgeot.

The audience screamed on for their Battlers as they leapt off their fainted Pokémon with a side flip, landing back to face each other. They skid across the ground followed by their crashing Flying Types, Steven grinning and Ross scowling. The two Trainers both raised up their Poké Balls to recover their fallen Pokémon, the audience screaming for them.

"And how do you like _that?_ Even if it was against the rules, I _support_ it; we've not seen a more electrifying opening like that since my _younger_ days!" the excited Theodore grinned forward as he slammed a fist on the table below him.

"He's alive!" Misty gasped as she smiled forward, finally tearing her eyes forward to watch.

"Of course he is; the kid's made of tougher stuff 'n that; look at him!" Bill grinned as he laid his hands on the railing in front of him, nodding his head down. Sure enough their red eyed companion was grinning away, as if this were any other battle than a Championship one.

"I think he can do it…" Professor Oak murmured as he narrowed his eyes down, arms folded. "That look on his face…"

"Yeah." Misty murmured as she narrowed her own down. "I've seen him confident before but…"

"It's like he knows he's going to win,"

The trio turned their heads around to find a smiling Kimberley standing above them.

"Kim!" Misty greeted in a wide smile. The black dress wearing young girl gave a wink and a light grin as she did so.

"Hey guys," she greeted back. A grinning Kevin inched his head out from her back and turned his grin down on the watchers. Misty rolled her eyes and groaned though Bill chuckled as he raised his fist up clenched to be bumped. Kevin chuckled similarly as he bumped fists with the analyst before stepping out from the girl's shadow.

"Somethin' _is_ different about him," the Renegade muttered however as he turned his initial grin into a frown, rubbing a finger against his lips in thought as he watched the battle.

"You said he knows he's going to win." Bill began in his own frown as he turned it on the similar faced Kimberley. "What did you mean by that?"

"It's something I heard from Giovanni when he saved me from Celadon." the young girl admitted as she frowned and took a seat above the trio, next to the frowning Kevin. "Something about… deducing the value of a person's words or something," she murmured as she turned her head down in presumable thought.

"Deducing a person's words…" Misty murmured as she turned her head down in her own thought, eyes narrowed. They slowly re-widened however as she gasped and turned her head to find the lightly grinning Oak staring back at her, his arms still ever folded. He nodded back at her wordlessly.

"What? What is it?" the blinking Kevin asked obliviously as he turned his head down to the pair. The inquisitive Kimberley and Bill followed, eyebrows raising.

"Wait." Professor Oak responded in his light grin as he turned his head back over to the battle. "And you shall see."

Meanwhile the grinning Steven vaulted his next Poké Ball forward as his scowling enemy did so, an angry yell on his lungs. The two spheres exploded in mid-air and as they did a white smoke cloud formed as before. However this time two power houses leapt out of the clouds, eyes narrowed.

A Nidoking and an Electabuzz.

Ross yelled out in frustration, green eyes glaring. "Damn!"

The two monsters clashed together, arms locked into each other as they glared at each other through narrowed eyes.

"Not only has Steven's Aerodactyl and Ross' Pidgeot cancelled each other out but Steven has been one of the _first_ Battlers in this competition to out predict Ross Oak! This match isn't over yet folks!" Theodore grinned on as he joined his fists in a clenching.

"_Woo yeah! Rip 'em apaaaart!_" DJ Pep screamed out with the cheering crowd, shaking a fist forward as he did so.

"Earthquake!" the grinning Steven exclaimed forward. Ross fumbled a Poké Ball up, eyes widened as he breathed heavily in his scowl however by then it was too late; the narrow eyed Nidoking growled as it widened its eyes. Suddenly beneath its enemy, the ground was tore apart by the Poison and Ground dual Type's attack. With Electabuzz's low Defence, the Electric Type was sent bellowing back in shut eyed and scowling pain. It rolled across the floor before finally landing at its shock faced Trainer's feet.

Ross stood gobsmacked and wide eyed down at his feet and at his fallen Pokémon's pained expression, as if unable to believe it. He slowly raised up his head to lock eyes with the far off and grinning Steven on the other side. _"This… this isn't…"_ the usually confident young boy murmured in his mind as he watched his red eyed rival grin over. _"This isn't _right._ He shouldn't be so… so _confident_…"_

Before the commentators could even begin to continue on the proceeding events, a stream of water shot from the undefended side and blasted the screeching Nidoking successfully, sending it to a pained unconscious fainting, just like its enemy. Steven gasped in widened eyes as he watched his Pokémon fall, unable to have stopped it. The referee was called into action and growled as he turned his chubby face 'round to find a grinning young girl standing across from the wrecked stadium, her hair long and blue.

Elaine.

Her frowning Azumarill stood ahead of her.

"Hey!" the referee exclaimed as he stormed over, eyes narrowed in a light scowl. He rose up a red card and waved it in front of the young girl's face. "That's a warning!"

"What!?" she yelled back, her face a picture perfect of misplaced anger. "I'm just watching the battle! Where the hell do _you_ get off telling me-"

"That's a lie! Your Azumarill interrupted; now get off the court!" the referee ordered angrily, thrusting a finger forward. Elaine rolled her eyes as she recalled her Pokémon, raising her arms up to rest behind her head as she walked off. She received multiple boos from the audience and she flipped them off as she did.

"What a shocking display of sportsmanship!" Theodore lamented out as he shook his head in a disapproving frown, receiving nods and concurring boos from the watching audience. "Unfortunately for our challenger the rules clearly state that Pokémon cannot be revived via the use of items even in a case like this," the former Battler stated out dejectedly as he frowned forward.

"That _sucks_ Thee!" DJ Pep exclaimed.

"That it does my party loving friend but I'm sure our red dressed challenger doesn't mind all that much!" Theodore finished in a light smile as he turned his head over. The named boy frowned as he knelt down next to his fallen Nidoking and cringed.

"Sorry Ragnarock… you protected me from all those bullies back when we were kids and I couldn't protect you now." he sighed out in his frown. "Please forgive me." he asked in a light smile of his own.

"I'm afraid he's right sir." the referee interrupted as he stood above the red capped boy. Steven gasped as he turned his head 'round and up to find the frowning and chubby man standing above him. "You'll have to Battle on as is," he lamented out and Steven turned his frown into a smile as he shook his head.

"It's fine." he responded. "I'm pretty confident I can win anyway," he replied and the referee chuckled in a light smile of his own.

"All right kid." he nodded before turning to his left and walking on down. He shot the two flags down forward to signify the continuation of the match.

"Restart!" he exclaimed, eliciting the audience to kick up a cheer once again.

"I don't believe her!" Misty exclaimed out as she stood from her seat, angrily glaring down as she gripped onto the rails in front of her. "I _saw_ her use that Azumarill!"

"I wonder if she didn't collude with Ross on that one…" a wondering Kevin murmured forward as he narrowed his eyes down suspiciously.

"No; not Ross." Professor Oak shot in with a hard frown of his own. The group of youths turned their head to their elder and listened. "Ross is a stickler for honour and tradition; he's probably angrier at that Elaine girl than anyone else here today," the Pokémon Professor claimed in his hard frown, standing up for his grandson.

"I guess that's true…" Misty murmured as she sat herself back down in a slow frown. The former Gym Leader narrowed her aqua eyes down as she clenched her fists still on the railing. _"Don't give up Steve."_

After recalling back his fallen Nidoking, Steven regained his grin as he stood back up to stare in his confident expression, making the watching Ross twitch his changed frown forward in wonder.

How was he so confident, Ross thought.

_Why_ was he grinning the whole time?

"Rargh!" the Oak heir yelled as he vaulted a Poké Ball forward in a scowl. The sphere rolled in the air and exploded open to reveal a narrow eyed Alakazam, its eyes purple and narrowed. On the other side was his rival's Magneton, its three eyes contrastingly and constantly widened.

"And Steven responds with his Electric Pokémon Magneton!" Theodore yelled out of his microphone as he grinned on. "Ross better be careful; his Alakazam's Psychic attacks won't do well against a doubled Steel Type!"

As if sensing the commentator's words, the narrow eyed Steven grinned on as he watched the worried look on his rival's face.

"That's where you're _wrong!_" Ross yelled out suddenly and with a hateful scowl he tilted his head to the side as he shot a finger forward. "_Focus Blast!_"

The Alakazam widened its glowing purple eyes and shot its bent spoons forward and after soon forming a similarly glowing sphere of energy, it fired it forward and with narrow eyed accuracy. The frowning Steven stood in a shut eyed frown as he lowered his head, the audience falling silent in widened eyes as they watched, their breath held in their throats.

Finally the Focus Blast hit and exploded upon impact, blowing apart debris and where the boy and his Magneton once stood.

"No! I can't believe he did _nothing_ to stop that!" the watching Theodore yelled out in a disapproving frown. "Not only did he just _stand_ there and accept a Supereffective attack but-"

"Not _this_ time!" Pep interrupted in a grinning laugh as he shot a finger to his right. Theodore blinked and traced it.

On the undefended side of Ross and his Alakazam a rainbow coloured beam shot as if from nowhere. The Oak heir managed to snap his head 'round in time only to see the attack however. He yelled as he shifted in the air to his right and now rear, raising up his arm to block against the attack with his Alakazam. Unfortunately however it hit his Pokémon regardless and the Psychic Type growled out as the beam pierced through, sending it rolling back and fainting.

Presumably a Critical Hit.

Ross recovered however and glared forward to find his rival and his levitating Magneton on his previous side, grinning back at him. "How?!" he yelled forward angrily. "How the _hell_ did you-"

"And just like that Steven has turned the tide of the Battle once more and _proven_ his nickname! But how on _earth_ did he perform such a well thought out manoeuvre?" the grinning Theodore yelled above his watching audience.

"Beats me Thee but it's _awesome!_" DJ Pep screamed back out in reply as he watched in his own grin.

Steven smirked as he stood back up fully, arms at his side as he opened his mouth. "What you didn't notice when you were glaring at me was the Light Screen that I had ordered my Magneton to bring up. Coupled with the Eviolite that I had it hold before the battle which increases Defence and Special Defence both by fifty percent…"

"But that doesn't explain how you-"

"_That_ was Mirror Shot." Steven shot back in a low grin. Ross widened his green eyes, taken aback as he waited for the boy to continue. He walked over to his Magneton and smiled as he petted it affectionately. "Me and Maelstrom… we've been testing something like this out to make up for its low Speed; using the move Mirror Shot, we basically teleported over a short distance to our choosing. I also used Maelstrom's low Speed to my advantage with its Ability Analytic which increases a move by thirty percent if it's used after its opponent's." he explained in his smile before turning his head over to grin back at his dumbstruck rival. "And with that finished we Signal Beamed your Alakazam into next year!" he finished in a grinning exclamation, making the watching crowd scream their approval for the boy. They soon turned it into a chant of his name, leaving the twitchy faced Ross in a mixture of anger and shock.

"All right, _that's_ impressive." Kimberley mouthed over as she nodded her approval and grinned. "Has he always been this smart?"

"I can't remember him ever thinking out a strategy like_ this_." Bill grinned out in a chuckle forward. "He always seemed just like a little knuckle head,"

"You're tellin' me," Kevin grinned on as he laid his hands into his chin, leaning forward as he bit at his nails in a force of habit.

"I don't believe it." Professor Oak chuckled out forward in his grinning, folded armed expression. The group turned their heads over inquisitively. "He's actually _learning,_"

"Well… isn't he _supposed_ to?" Misty laughed nervously as she raised a red eyebrow.

"I mean he's taken what he's learned from Ross and adapted it to his own strategies." the Pokémon Professor claimed as he turned his head in a light grin. "The boy that left from Pallet was uncivilised, arrogant and even almost xenophobic when it came to learning." the elderly researcher claimed as he watched the confident grin on the red capped boy. "This can only be good, even for Ross,"

"What do you mean; Ross is so angry he can barely see straight," Misty shot back as she cringed lightly.

"Ah but this will teach him what I could not. Ross has never lost a Pokémon Battle in all of his life." the man replied as he grinned and turned his head to face the red head. "If he loses in front of a crowd _this_ huge and by the one person he thinks so low of…"

"You wanted this to happen." Bill gasped out as he turned his own head to stare back. Oak grinned on. "You _wanted_ him to lose like this,"

"Yes; Ross has been far too arrogant and far too hateful. The one person he hates _and_ loves the most is now no longer me but your companion Steven,"

"_Steven?_" Kimberley parroted out in a light cringe of her own. "What are you-"

"It's complicated." the elderly man laughed out as he rubbed the back of his head. "He respects Steven and officially recognises their rivalry but he'd never admit to it,"

"I getcha." Misty smiled however as she turned her head she frowned on down at the angry faced Ross. She couldn't help but wonder, even _if_ in a paranoid sense, about what the Professor said about love.

Was it… possible…?

"You're not gonna make that move _again!_" Ross yelled out angrily as he threw his next Poké Ball forward after recovering his last, eyes wide and fierce. "_Inferno; Heat Wave!_" the Trainer screamed out as the Poké Ball exploded. Sure enough, a narrow eyed Arcanine shot out of the sphere and shot forth a blasting wave of heat at its enemy. Steven widened his eyes and raised up his arms to block the attack from his own face however his Pokémon wasn't so lucky; with a pained screech, the wide eyed Magneton fell to the ground in a resounding clang.

"And with a fearsome Fire Type move, Ross has quickly equalised the score of the Battle!" Theodore exclaimed as he clenched a fist backwards in his grin.

"Yeah Thee! Between the two of 'em, I dunno who's better!" his ever excitable partner yelled out.

"Sorry Maelstrom…" Steven chuckled out as he lowered himself down to pick up his fallen Pokémon. Cradling it in his arms, he smiled down at it. "My bad…" he murmured as he raised up a Poké Ball to recall the creature. As it disappeared from his grip, he shot his head up in another confident grin that made the watching Ross widen his eyes in a further scowl.

"_Why?!"_ the green eyed Battler thought to himself once more as he glared back at the tilt bodied Steven, grinning away. Ross' eyes twitched in his angry scowl, his mind moving a mile a minute to understand his rival's thought process. _"Why is he so _confident?!_"_

"Even now at an equal score of three Pokémon each Steven _still_ has no worry etched on his expression! What could he be thinking?" Theodore's voice echoed out in the indoor stadium, eliciting another appreciative yell of the audience.

"Beats me Thee but I'm _lovin'_ this kid!" DJ Pep replied in a joyful exclamation.

The red eyed Battler finally shot a Poké Ball out from his belt on his hip, smirking on confidently as he did so. As it exploded in mid-air a yellow furred Pokémon zipped out of the smoke cloud, eyes narrowed as it bent its body low to avoid any possible attacks.

"A Jolteon…" Ross murmured out as he glared forward, eyes squinting and suspicious. "I remember that Pokémon!" he yelled out suddenly as he pointed a finger forward. Regardless Steven smirked on, his body held low in a battle stance. "Inferno; _Earthquake!_" the Oak heir screamed out angrily. The Fire Type growled lowly as it smashed the ground beneath its feet and even as the already shook up ground was destroyed even further, the narrow eyed Jolteon jumped to evade the attack in a bountiful leap. "Rgh!" the Pallet bound Battler growled out forward in frustration as he glared at the leaping Electric Type. "Now while it's in mid-air! _Fire Blast!_"

The Arcanine growled back as it shot a stream of fire at its seemingly defenceless opponent however even as it did, a blinding light was shot up and covered the leaping Jolteon. Ross and the rest of the watchers grunted as they raised up their arms to block the blinding light and finally as it dispersed they were treated to another sight.

A narrow eyed Flareon stood, landing in front of the glaring Arcanine.

"No!" Ross exclaimed in wide eyed anger. "All I've done is…!"

"Flash Fire Ross!" Steven's shout came from the other side, causing him to turn his twitchy eyed scowl over. "Increases a Pokémon's Fire Style power by up to fifty percent and negates all damage taken by them!"

"Damn… kid…!" Ross grunted out in his throat as he shook in his anger, making strangled sounds as he did so. "_Earthquake!_ Destroy it!" the angry Trainer yelled. Before he could continue however, another light shined from Steven's side once more, grinning as he rose up an item. The light beamed over to the narrow eyed Flareon and changed its form once more.

This time as the Earthquake struck the light that was the Pokémon, the form in the light shook it off with a shake of its head before numerous and huge streams of water shot out from the light. Ross' eyes widened as he rose his arms to block the light from blinding him, unable to evade the oncoming jets of water; the Hydro Pump. They struck the howling Arcanine and sent it rolling across the ground unconscious. Ross snapped his head around in a wide eyed frown before snapping it back in a scowl as before, this time to find a narrow eyed blue Pokémon, unlike the Flareon as before.

This one was Vaporeon.

"_Unheard_ of!" Theodore screamed above the yelling audience, sitting up from his seat as he frowned in a wide eyed, shocked expression. "Shocking us all once more, Steven has shown a Pokémon able to change its very _evolution_ mid-battle!"

"Pep needs new shorts!" DJ Pep exclaimed out in a laugh.

Ross stood, transfixed on his fallen Arcanine as before unable to believe it.

Steven smirked on as he placed a hand on his hip. "What's wrong Ross?" he called over, eliciting a pained jerk from the young boy in question. He turned his head over, sweating and scowling as he did so, to show the fatigue he was under. "I thought you said something about me giving up to avoid humiliation?" the Pallet bound boy shot over in his grin, eyes lightly narrowed. Ross remained silent, his green eyes narrowed in fierce, livid anger. "Today's the day I finally beat you." the red eyed boy added on, this time in a hushed voice as he grinned. "And become Champion!" he added in a grinning exclamation, eliciting another cheer from the audience, chanting his very name once more.

Ross' scowl cringed constantly as he recalled back his fallen Pokémon, his head held low as his eyes twitched on. _"I can't let him do this to me… I'm Oak's grandson and the successor to his legacy. The title of Champion _belongs_ to me!"_ he thought to himself in a final scowl as he shot his head up, gripping a Poké Ball forward. Steven rose an eyebrow before going into his jacket, presumably for an item. The familiar light shined as Steven grinned and rose it above his head and as he did so, Ross glared as he threw his Poké Ball at the former Vaporeon angrily.

The light dissipated and Steven's Flareon stood once more, powered up by the Flash Fire strategy from before. "Fire Blast!" Steven exclaimed as he shot a fist forward. The Flareon narrowed its eyes as it shot a blast of fire at the rolling Poké Ball. It exploded forth and Ross' words echoed hauntingly in the indoor stadium.

"_Waterfall!_"

Steven's red eyes widened in a surprised gasp.

He couldn't have…!

Sure enough, the narrow eyed Golduck of Ross' ran through the powered up Fire Blast with a raised crossing of its fists before charging Water Type power in its forearms and its body. Steven went into his jacket for the next Evolutionary Stone to change his Flareon back to a Vaporeon however the narrow eyed Golduck was too fast and it smashed its body against the Flareon, back flip kicking it and sending it flying out of the ring. It yelped as it smashed against the raised wall of the spectators above it, falling with a pained cringe.

"Damn…" Steven murmured out as he recalled back the Pokémon, eyes narrowed forward.

"Just _look_ at that folks! Steven may be a master of surprise but his opponent has a few tricks up _his_ sleeve as well!" Theodore exclaimed on as he grinned passionately.

"Yeah! You got _that _right Thee!"

"_I was _sure_ he'd try to counter my Vaporeon with his Venusaur…"_ the red eyed boy thought to himself as he narrowed the red orbs forward. _"Can't let up."_ he thought on as he belted his fallen Flareon and spun his next Poké Ball up before tossing it forward.

_BOM_

Out of the white smoke, a huge and sleeping behemoth appeared; the slumbering Snorlax.

"This one…" Ross murmured out as he glared forward. His green eyes darted across the board of the ring and widened as he came across the raised bit of debris that the Snorlax seesawed on. _"I can't take it on with brute force alone… but maybe…"_ the Oak heir thought in a narrow eyed glare before shooting an outstretched hand forward. "Albacore; go!" he yelled out.

Steven remained narrow eyed and frowning as he watched carefully. _"What's he planning?"_

"Gol-duck!" the Water Type exclaimed as it shot on forward, the water at its webbed feet splashing the stage below it.

"Now!" Ross exclaimed forward as he widened his eyes forward. "_Zen Headbutt!_"

Steven's eyebrows rose; that move!

But…?

Steven's eyes widened as he saw the Golduck's eyes and he shot forward in a run forward.

The Golduck, sensing its Trainer's thoughts, lowered its head and not to attack the slumbering Snorlax; it instead smashed its psychically charged head into the ground on the raised bit of debris that the huge Normal Type slept on. The debris gave way and the wide eyed Snorlax snorted out, jerked out of its sleep and the debris that it smashed sent the seesawing Snorlax flying upwards into the air.

The yelling Steven managed to grip onto his Pokémon's body before it was out of reach and just like that the pair were sent so high up, they were dots on the horizon gone completely. Misty's eyes widened as she stood up from her seat and watched.

"No; Steve!" she called, raising an arm up as the audience around her gasped in similar shock.

Ross gasped out in frustrated and narrow eyed fatigue as he raised his head up angrily. "I'm sorry I had to do that Steven…" the green eyed boy murmured out as he glared up at the previously yelling boy. "But you left me no _choice._" he finished in a hateful hiss.

"That… can't be…" Bill murmured out, eyes widened. "Is he… dead?"

"It certainly appears so." Professor Oak responded in a hard frown. "These are the causalities of being a Pokémon Battler; the worry of death."

"I… don't know what to tell you folks… but it looks like Steven and his Snorlax are… finished." Theodore murmured out in his microphone, the indoor stadium deathly silent. He turned his head around and nodded at the watching and frowning referee. The referee nodded in response before turning and walking over to the ring and raising up the green flag in his left hand.

"Steven Murray and his Snorlax have been sent out of bounds and have been deemed unable to battle! By the power vested in me by the Indigo Conference League I now declare Ross Oak the Champion of Kanto and Joh-"

"No, _wait!_" Misty's voice suddenly exclaimed in interruption as she stood up and thrust a finger up at the sky. The quiet audience and everyone below craned their heads up to the sky in tracing. A dot on the horizon soon plummeted down and the watchers all widened their eyes in shocked gasps. Ross most of all turned his mystified frown into a hateful scowl, narrowing his emerald green eyes as he shook his head.

"_No_…" he said out angrily though calmly.

The dot finally plummeted down to reveal a falling Snorlax and its master; the red eyed Steven on its back, frowning hard forward as he shot a free fist down in similar to the narrow eyed Snorlax. His mouth opened up to speak and echoed across the stadium as he did so, a kind of final feel to it all.

"_BODY SLAM!_"

The ground and the very establishment _itself_ shook with a terrible tremor, shaking the halls of the building and the yelling people that inhibited it. Some gripped the railings to avoid falling, some gripped their partners or friends and those unlucky enough just fell on top of other people. Regardless however as the tremor finally passed, the watching audience and the recovering DJ Pep and Theodore Kent were treated to a scene of utter destruction; the lights, the huge television, some of the seats in the audience and especially the stadium itself was in a show of complete disarray.

Theodore groaned as he raised himself up from the ground, covered in dust and smoke. He coughed as he found his glasses and affixed them to his face, the table overturned. He raised it up and set only his microphone in place before turning to help the fallen Pep up, groaning similarly. With their seats turned back up to sit down they spoke into their microphones.

"Is everyone out there in the audience all right?" Theodore called out in a genuinely concerned frown. The crowd, as a response, all cheered ecstatically or at least, the uninjured members.

"Fool of a Murray!" Professor Oak exclaimed out angrily before spluttering in a fit of coughing, raising up his white lab coat's sleeve to block his mouth from blasting out germs. "He may as well have fired a Hyper Beam in our general direction!"

"Steve ya dang idiot!" Bill screamed down above the din of the cheering audience. "You're gonna _kill_ us!"

"Is he all right?!" Misty exclaimed as she shot herself up and gripped the hand railing forward.

"Good _Mew_…" Kevin groaned from behind as he raised himself up however blinked as he realised he had a woman in his lap. She cringed and turned to face him before widening her eyes and blushing. The Renegade grinned back. "Hey baby." he grinned at her however he didn't have long; the silently angry Kimberley pinched his ear and caused him to yell out. "Agh my bad, my bad!" he protested out though she glared at him anyway.

Theodore turned his head over to find the chubby referee at the side lines of the ring grunting as he raised himself up, hit by rocks and injured. He turned to nod at the watching commentator, giving his approval to continue the Battle. "How do you like _that_ folks?!" he grinned outwardly, his excited personality shining once more. "Just when we thought Steven was down and out, he responded with a literal earth shaking _counter attack!_"

"This kid is a _MONSTEEEEEER!_" the reenergised DJ Pep screamed out as he leapt up to stand on his seat and the table itself, raising his microphone up as he did so. The crowd screeched on with him in a fit of excitement and electricity, shaking fists and stomping the ground their frenzies.

Finally the smoke and dust died down to reveal first a fallen and fainted Snorlax, the unseen and presumably fainted Golduck and the two forms of the fallen boys on opposite sides of each other. Steven on his Pokémon's left, lying face up and gasping out for air in a fit of fatigue while his rival opposite him in a similar position.

The two boys however, grunting as they peeled themselves off the face of their battlefield, scowled as they shut an eye each, shakily raising themselves to their feet. They both turned around in their fatigue and gasped out forward as they glared at one another, both Pokémon fell and bruises and other marks strewn across their faces and clothes.

"Finally our heroes grow _tired!_ This looks to be the end ladies and gentleman! One of the finest finals battles that I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing here today!" the excited Theodore yelled out of his microphone in a passionate frown, a hand clenched into a fist as he did so. The audience cried with him in a deafening cheer.

"This… is it…" Ross gasped out as he slouched down, green eyes lowering and glaring forward. He grunted as he rose up his Golduck's Poké Ball, recovering the unseen Water Type via the red energy that shot out of it. Steven followed suit in a frown of his own. "Just like at… grandfather's lab… you're going to lose… and in front of everyone… you care about," the green eyed Battler growled out in an upturn of his mouth, as if delighted at the prospect.

Steven broke out into a little grin of his own and he chuckled in spite of his injuries, his arm from his previous injury with Giovanni even warming up once more. He stayed strong however. "You say that…" he began as he gasped out similarly. "But you can… barely stand," he grinned outwardly.

"Look who's… talkin'." Ross shot back in a clench toothed scowl. Steven laughed lowly as he glared back at his rival.

"Ross!"

The necklace wearing Oak heir gasped as he switched his head around to find the running Elaine dashing to his side. She crashed into him with a hug and he grunted in the wide eyed pain.

"Are you all right?" she whined up at him and the boy growled lowly and angrily as he turned his demonised scowl on her, almost animalistic. The electric blue haired girl recoiled back in a squeak and cringed.

"_Don't… interrupt…_" the green eyed boy hissed out in venom filled tone of pure anger, though bridled if only for his current fatigue. Steven smiled lightly as he watched, now sure of his stance against outside interference in the battle. The cringing Elaine backed away from the angry Trainer and finally he was allowed to turn his livid glare on the red eyed boy. "I hate you… _so_ much… but I apologise… for her," he added on in his growling glare. Steven laughed in his fatigued grin.

"It's cool." he gasped back.

"So tired and yet we're not even _finished!_ Now down to their last two Pokémon, Ross Oak and Steven Murray give each other their final glares before finally getting down to action!" the passionately driven Theodore exclaimed on as he grinned forward.

Now with a little more breath restored in their bodies, Ross and Steven moved to their own original sides of the dilapidated arena. "Now we're down… to just 'those' Pokémon," Ross began as he glared forward, his fingers moving down to pluck his final Poké Ball. Steven grinned suggestively and raised a brown eyebrow as he followed his rival's actions.

"Oh?"

"You _know_ them you inferior fool." the heir to the Oak household spat back venomously as he glared on. "The Pokémon my grandfather gave us,"

"Ah yeah…" Steven grinned back, fully aware even before as he enlarged his last sphere.

"It's gonna play just like before." Ross shot back as he narrowed his eyes. "You're going to spout some heroic drivel and _I'm_ going to win." the confidently expressed young boy growled over. "You'll _never_ be Champion; just like I'll never have my parents or my sister again,"

"I've already proven you wrong before Ross." the red capped boy replied and grinned lightly as he raised up his Poké Ball, his body tilted as he stared forward. He narrowed his eyes as he did so. "Let's see you try me now." he shot back confidently and calmly. Ross' scowl grew worse and he growled back as he breathed heavily.

"Battlers; take your positions!" the referee yelled out forward. Steven turned away first, grinning as he did so, walking down the broken down stadium. Ross stared after him, burning a hole in the back of the boy's red jacket and the white Poké Ball design in the centre. Finally however he followed and turned around to take his own position.

As the two stood in their respective circles they glared at one another; Steven in his confident grin and Ross in his hateful glower. Time passed like waterfalls between the two and a kind of silent aura fell between them, separating them from the screaming din of the audience. Everything else disappeared and the two stood in their own reality; the grinning Steven and the scowling Ross.

Finally however, bringing the two out of their quiet reality, the frowning referee shot his arm down to signify the last leg of the Indigo Conference League's Finals.

"Begin!"

_**6**_

Ross yelled as he vaulted forth his Poké Ball, sending out his similarly scowling Venusaur while his rival responded in a silent grin by sending out his similarly grinning Blastoise.

"_Solarbeam!_"

"_Ice Beam!_"

The said beams of energy fired out of each Pokémon's mouths. Meeting in mid-air they shook the ground as they converged, eliciting screams from the audience and the watching commentators. Ross stood in his permanent scowl, his purple shirt, necklace and simple trousers shook in the blast. Steven stood opposite in a contrasting grin, his red and white jacket flapping away and his hair blowing in the kick up of the wind.

Because of the smashed open ceiling above them, the sun glowed down on the Venusaur's back and gave it instant use of the Solarbeam attack however its enemy Blastoise's Ice Beam attack was Supereffective and thus met it on equal ground. The two attacks were so equally powerful however that they cancelled each other out and gave a final explosion as if to applaud the two Pokémon. Ross and Steven grunted out as they raised their arms up to block the dust and smoke, their Pokémon copying their Trainers' actions.

"You're not gonna win today!" Ross' almost muffled shout came from his raised arms. Steven raised his eyes to glare past his own and found his rival across from him, glowering hatefully on. "Not today!"

Steven grinned on however as he lowered his arms and set them forward in spite of the smoke and dust to form a battle stance; the same one that he adopted whenever he used his Blastoise. "Oblivion; _Ice Beam!_"

Ross however stood and lowered his arms as he grinned on in a strangely confident, if psychotic expression. The audience watched on in widened eyes, gasping and shocked.

"A strange tactic indeed! Ross Oak just stands and allows Blastoise's Ice Beam through! What could he be _thinking?_" the world class commentator Theodore exclaimed out passionately as he narrowed his eyes forward. The stream of ice struck the wide eyed Venusaur and made it grunt out in some serious pain; a Critical Hit and a Supereffective strike.

Ross' grin superseded his entire face however in spite of his situation and he chuckled as he stared at the frowning Steven. "That's it…" he murmured out as he turned to watch his gasping Venusaur. "Do you remember Steven?" he asked and the red capped boy blinked forward. "In Oak's lab… the reason I won…" he grinned out, his voice raised by a pitch as he murmured in his psychotic grin. He chuckled and rose up his head as is red eyed rival's eyes widened in recognition.

"No; you mean…!"

"That's right…!" Ross whined out in a psychotic grin before shooting a finger forward. "You're _finished! FRENZY PLAAAANT!_" the wide eyed battle prodigy screamed out as he turned his grin into a sudden scowl once more. His Venusaur growled similarly as it ripped open its glowing green eyes to shoot forward incredible branches and leaves.

"Rgh!" Steven grunted out as he scowled back. _"No other choice…"_ he thought and widened his red eyes as he screamed back. "_Hydro Cannon!_"

_DROOOM_

A massive struggle began between the two, once again shaking the very foundations of the building itself. Steven narrowed his red eyes forward in his battle stance, glaring on as he did so. Ross' laugh echoed out of the deafening attacks' din, grinning on as he pointed forward in an almost psychotic expression. "_It's just like before Steven!_" the green eyed Battler laughed, eliciting a narrow eyed glare from the boy in question. "_You can't beat me; I'm the greatest Pokémon Battler in the entire _world!" the Oak heir screamed out madly as he laughed on before finishing. "_FINAL ATTAAAAACK!_" the boy bellowed out, his hair blowing in the wind as he shot his finger on at his weakening enemy.

Steven grunted as he fell to one knee, eyes narrowed as he watched. Ross was right; this would only end as before. He couldn't have countered with the Ice Beam again; Frenzy Plant was much too strong to be matched even against a Supereffective attack.

So this was all he had left.

The red capped boy shut his eyes tightly as he slapped his hands together in a praying form, scowling lightly as he did so. Some seconds passed before finally his red eyes shot open in a scowl and as he did so, Ross' branch beams of power finally began to overtake Steven's jets of water.

"This is it…!" Theodore exclaimed forward as he watched the battle with narrowed eyes, sitting forward as he did so to catch every second. "The final attack!"

"_Gooo!_" DJ Pep yelled on with his commentating companion.

Finally however and all at once, the Frenzy Plant won out as expected and completely swallowed the narrow eyed Steven and his grunting Blastoise. Ross laughed on as he watched, the explosion dotting the stadium painfully. Steven still knelt down, his hands joined in his narrow eyed scowl, seemingly uncaring.

A bright light flashed and vanished with Ross' laughter.

* * *

Finally the audience and the commentators began to calm down as the stadium itself underwent a kind of eerie calmness on its own, little bits of fallen rocks and stone the only noise between anyone. Four figures were outlined in the huge smoke cloud below in the destroyed arena, one of them the kneeling Ross. The smoke revealed him to be bloody around the face and gasping away in further fatigue as he glared forward in a hateful scowl, his Venusaur in a bruised and battered similar form.

"Ross Oak is _still_ standing!" Theodore yelled out, his voice amplified. "Now what about-" he began and gasped as he widened his eyes to his right.

The smoke cleared to show a fallen, side on Steven with his face up and fainted Blastoise ahead of him, both of them presumably unconscious.

The audience fell silent as they watched, perhaps unable to believe it.

Ross gasped on as he struggled to stand up to his feet, shakily staggering over as he did so. His Venusaur shambled forward to follow him. The green eyed Battler first chuckled as he walked over and as he finally stopped just above his beaten rival, he turned it into an echoing laugh, watching the bruised and battered boy.

"_Overgrow!_" he yelled out. "_Just as before! What was _that_ about beating me?!_" Ross began as he grinned down, clenching his fists at his side zealously. "_You _lose!_ I win! This is _my_ perfect _VICTORY!" the green eyed young boy laughed madly as he turned his face into a red filled and vein showing open mouthed grin.

"It… looks like the end ladies and gentleman…" Theodore Kent murmured out disbelievingly as he watched the events forward, the audience gasping out in similar widened eyes. "In spite of Steven's promise… he has lost and today's winner…" the man began slowly as he turned his head and nodded to the narrow eyed referee. The chubby man walked forward and raised up the green flag to signify Ross' said victory.

As he did, Ross laughed on, the battle taken its toll on his mind as he set his hands to either side of himself, grinning as he watched the fallen boy's body.

"By the power vested in me by the Indigo Conference League…" the referee began as he frowned forward, his voice echoing in the indoor stadium. "I now declare Ross Oak the Champion of Kanto and Joh-"

_SMASH_

Ross' laughing cut short and he gasped in widened green eyes as he shot his head down. He was just in time to catch another form of the shut eyed Steven shooting up from the ground, smashing a fist into his rival's chin roughly as he flew up, scowling in his shut eyed frown as he did so.

"_Wha-!_" Ross yelled out in a shock faced frown and grunted as he was sent up with his attacking enemy. Finally the red capped boy sent his green eyed rival flying back, landing on the ground face up in a pained grunt. Steven landed in a similarly unlucky and pained yell as he collapsed to the ground face up, gasping away in fatigue. "H-How…!" he gasped out as he turned his head upside down to find his Venusaur in a similar predicament with the reappeared Blastoise. He turned his head shakily down to find the previous forms of the fallen Steven and Blastoise exploding in white smoke.

The audience remained silent as they watched.

Ross' eyes widened as he watched, slowly adding it up.

"_After I fired the Solarbeam… and during the blackout he…"_ the boy thought in his shock faced frown. "No…" the green eyed boy murmured out in a growing scowl as he stared on forward. "_No!_" Ross repeated, this time in an angry scream or as close to a scream as he could manage, twitching in his scowl as he stared up at the gasping and fatigued Steven.

"During… the Solarbeam…" Steven gasped out as he stood in a gasping grin, his body beat up and covered in bruises, dust, blood and other such stains. "I had Oblivion… use Double Team…"

Ross' eyes widened in recognition as to his rival's final strategy.

He imagined the red eyed boy's Blastoise's Double Team copies of itself as well as its Trainer hiding below under the torn up battlefield.

He outsmarted me, Ross thought.

The level of impossibility hit him like a ton of bricks and he could only stare in widened, twitching eyes at the gasping and grinning Steven and his similarly tired Blastoise, the pair barely standing together.

Finally, the referee spoke up.

"Ross and his Venusaur are unable to battle any further!" the chubby man exclaimed out, his voice deep and echoing as he turned to chop the red flag in the gasping red eyed boy's direction. "Steven and his Blastoise are the winners!"

The audience screamed out in sudden cheer before they began to clear out of their seats and rushed over the railings to join the battling four on stage. As they did so, they quickly circled the gasping pair and the fallen Ross and his Venusaur, cheering for their Battlers. Steven however finally fell to his knees and grunted as he did so, his Blastoise following him as he did so. He turned to meet the pained faced Water Type and laughed back at it as he nodded.

"We did it…" he gasped out in his light smile and the Blastoise nodded in response as it grinned back, as if proud. "We finally did it; we became… Champions." the boy gasped out as tears slowly formed at his eyes, raising his arm to grip his Pokémon's own. The Water Type grinned back as it nodded on.

"You guys were _awesome!_"

The boy gasped as he turned his head around to find the grinning Kimberley ever with her partner Kevin. He laughed back as he wiped at his eyes and the bruises on his face. As she reached down to help him back up, the smiling Misty and Bill walked in to help instead, shaking off the Wanderer's worries with their head and a smile as they did so. The pair of companions smiled as they bent down to pick up the grunting Steven, grabbing an arm each.

Meanwhile on the other side of the destroyed battlefield, Elaine and the frowning Professor Oak raised the fallen Ross to his feet. Steven stared back at his weakened rival with his gasping frown and red eyes, eliciting a tired look back from him. He turned his own green eyes away from him, as if ashamed and Steven slowly smiled back.

"What is it Steve?" Misty asked as she frowned down at him. He softly shook his bonds of his two companions and shakily shambled forward. When he was called he smiled and shook his head back at the two, continuing on. Ross turned his head up and found the boy walking over in a pained shambles before the red eyed boy finally wrapped his arms around his green eyed rival.

Ross gasped in shock, widened eyes as he stood staring forward. Steven smiled as he embraced his old rival and new friend. He finally pulled back and grinned at the boy.

"I told you; you were one of my best friends." he simply shot back in his confident grin, a little of his breath restored. Ross stood in a constantly shocked expression, green eyes widened and staring wordlessly back at the boy. When no one else even dared open their mouths, Ross turned his eyes away and his body shook in his grandfather's and companion's hold, his throat tight and tears falling from his eyes as he did so. Steven blinked forward initially.

Was Ross _crying?_

"I-I'm sorry…" the green eyed boy murmured out as best he could, his voice tight and his green eyes red around the edges as he shook in place. "S-So s-sorry…"

Steven gained another slow smile and rose up his softly clenched fist to touch the boy on his chest, making him rise up his head in a teary blinking frown, clearly mystified. "You don't have to be." he replied in his smile, eliciting a tightened gasp from the rival's throat. Steven's smile grew. "Because you're my friend and you always will be!" the ever passionate red capped Battler exclaimed out in his grown grin. The circled crowd all screamed their approval for the pair and though Elaine rolled her eyes at the two, Professor Oak on the right nodded his own approval as he grinned back.

"By the power vested in me by the Indigo Conference League…" a heavy voice interrupted; the chubby referee's as he walked in past the crowd and into the group's centre. He rose up a large golden trophy with a Poké Ball and leaf crown design around it. Steven's red eyes widened as he turned his head around to stare back at the official. "I now declare the winner of the annual Indigo Conference League Competition, associated with the Pokémon Battling Association…" he began before handing over the large trophy to the grunting red eyed boy. The audience was silent in grins as they watched. "_Steven Murray!_"

The crowd thus cheered on like banshees, crowding 'round the laughing Steven and his Blastoise. "We did it Oblivion; you and me!" the red capped boy yelled out above the din of the cheering crowd as he knelt down next to the Water Type. "I told you we could; this is my apology… to you." the boy finished in a smile as he laid the trophy at the Pokémon's feet. It rose up its head and smiled back, nodding as if forgiving him. "Thank you… for understanding." Steven murmured as he grinned and leant forward to hug the Blastoise, the Pokémon returning the embrace.

Bill and Misty grinned on as they watched, arms folded as they exchanged glances.

_**Epilogue**_

_**Ancestor's Approval**_

"All right new Champion!" a voice interrupted; a man holding a camera grinned forward as he set it up in front of the growing group. The cheering crowd turned to look and groaned as they realised they had to vacate the stage. Steven grinned back before standing up, his fatigue leaving him and restoring some breath in his body. He turned to grab the blinking Misty and Bill however, nodding at them.

"I want to include some people in my photo." he began as he turned his head to face Cameron the cameraman. "Would that be all right?"

"Uhh… well traditionally Champions just a photo of themselves and their _Pokémon_ but…"

"It's my photo right?" Steven interrupted and Cameron blinked back. The boy grinned back and Bill and Misty exchanged worried glances. "So I wanna include my friends." he added on and Cameron shrugged in a light wince. "That means all of them," he added on as he turned to face the similar faced Ross, Kimberley and Kevin.

"M-Me…?" the green eyed boy murmured out in disbelief as he stared back in puzzlement. Steven grinned back and nodded. He didn't notice the blush that adorned the green eyed Trainer's cheeks however as he turned away.

"I… guess it's all right…" Cameron murmured out in a nod after consulting with the nodding referee. "All right; could the audience please clear out?" he called out and the crowd hesitantly turned to leave, opting to watch from afar. Professor Oak smiled as he set his grunting grandson down.

"You have friends now Ross…" the elderly man began as he placed his hands into his lab coat's pockets. The boy turned his head up in a blinking frown. "Learn from them." he added on before turning away in his smile, walking offstage. Ross stared after him before gasping out as he shook lightly, lowering his head as he did so.

"All right people; all that are included please step to the centre of the arena!" Cameron smiled as he stepped behind the tripod camera. Steven stood in the centre of the arena and grinned as he stood holding the golden trophy with one arm with his grinning Blastoise in front of him, arms folded. Misty and Bill stood at his sides, arm joined with the red eyed boy's and arm around his shoulder respectively, similarly smiling and grinning.

Kimberley stood behind the newly christened Champion and put a grin on her face as she wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, winking at the camera flirtatiously. Kevin similarly grinned past the boy as he rested his arm on the boy's left shoulder, giving the camera his thumbs up approval.

Meanwhile behind the small group was the lightly smiling Ross himself, his eyes starry with tears as he stood simply above the rest of the group, a grinning Elaine hanging onto his arm as before.

"Say cheese!" Cameron grinned as he took the photo, the group grinning on back.

Finally, after the photo had been took Steven smiled as he turned his head up to the torn up ceiling and the sky above him. He saw the smiling form of the flying Pokémon above him, watching him with a similar expression on its face.

A small cat-like Pokémon with a long pink tail coloured like the rest of its body.

Steven's grin grew as he watched it, giving a nod as he did so. Misty next to him blinked at him.

"What is it Steve?" she asked concernedly and the boy merely shook his head as he watched the Pokémon fly off, leaving dusts of sparkles behind it.

"Nothin' Mist." he replied softly and chuckled. "Just thanking an old friend; that's all." he responded and the red head blinked as she turned her head up to trace his stare. When she saw but the sky she blinked on in wonder and shrugged before turning her head back.

Steven's smile grew as he thought of his companion that had fooled him all this time.

Until now.

"_Thank you… Mew."_

* * *

_A/N: And that's that. Jeez that finally took its time huh; 2008 I first started this damn thing. XD Oh well I hope those of you still reading enjoyed it; I certainly did writing it. Thanks for reading at any rate even those of you that don't bother reviewing; I like to know my writing's enjoyed. Until next time._

_And may you be ever favourable in victory._


End file.
